Finding Home
by irma66
Summary: Six years after fleeing Neptune, Veronica's back. And guess who's still in town...
1. Mistakes Were Made

_A/N: So I posted every week for nearly 2 years (100 weeks), but then I stopped, out of self-preservation, and I haven't been able to get reliably motivated to finish much of anything since then. Promptober drove me to write regularly, but when it was done...again with very little getting accomplished._

 _This story has been in the works since June 2017. It was supposed to be 5 chapters, and 1 through 4 have been done since April 2018. Chapter 5...as the ending chapter in my year of not finishing anything, it refused to show itself. I'm tired of this and I'm going to start pushing back._

 _That means I'm here promising regular posts again. Generally, I work best with that kind of pressure. However, I can't go back to the weekly posts. It's just not feasible in my life, so my plan is to position myself for every other week. That gives me 8 weeks with chapters already mostly done (there's always something to edit) and means that this pesky chapter 5 has until March 2 to drag itself out of my fingers. After that, there might be a chapter six and then I'm hopeful to get some of my lingering WIPs moving again, plus maybe a few new things. Cross your fingers for me._

* * *

Logan glanced through the peephole in his front door and chuckled. _Well, looky who's here._ He flung the door wide open and leaned his elbow against the door jamb, running his hand against the back of his head. He knew he'd accomplished his goal when his guest's eyes widened as they went to his bulging bicep. He moved his free hand up to rub lazily against his bare chest and the smirk he couldn't control broadened as her stunned gaze tracked his movement. _Indifferent, my ass._

"This is a surprise," he said. "I didn't think you were coming here anymore." He only put a little bit of emphasis on the action word in that sentence but the pink stain across her cheeks told him she'd caught it.

"Must you answer the door half naked?" she asked in an irritated voice.

"No one else complains," he replied in an innocent tone. "The missionaries are showing up a couple times a week now."

She huffed in aggravation and turned away. "God, this was a mistake."

He leaped after her, all teasing forgotten, catching her by the arm. "Oh, no, no, no. Not a mistake." He pulled her inside the house and closed the door. She backed up against it and he flashed on the last time they'd come into the house together and he'd picked her up and fucked her against this door as soon as they'd arrived. From the look on her face, he was pretty sure that she was remembering the same thing.

He took a step closer and she sighed again. "Logan," she said softly.

"Veronica," he murmured as he dropped his head to nuzzle her neck. That was all it took. Her head rolled back giving him more space to kiss and her hands stroked along his sides. He smiled at the whimper that escaped her.

"So," he teased between kisses, "to what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit? I had it on good authority that this thing between us was done and you were not going to show up here again. Of course, that does seem to be how you say 'see ya later' these days, so maybe I shouldn't be surprised."

She pushed him away with a huff and he stepped back obligingly, leaning his elbow on the wall this time. "Okay, not here to make out? Or maybe you are, but you just don't wanna admit it yet."

Veronica sighed heavily, her face sad but resigned. "I just wanted to tell you that I really don't think we should see each other anymore. It's just falling into old, safe patterns. I'm back in town to stay, but we've both moved on in the last six years. Yeah, it's easy to resort to the familiar but we shouldn't do that to each other. It's not good for either of us."

He could feel his heart trying to throw itself out of his body onto the ground, ending the misery of not having her once and for all, but he'd be damned if he let her see that. _And what a load of crap anyway._ "So you came all the way over here, in person, to tell me we shouldn't see each other anymore? Something you've said a few times already but couldn't stick to? Wouldn't it have made more sense to text that kind of message? Somehow, I feel like—" he looked away from her and tapped his chin, lips pressed together like he was thinking hard "—like maybe you're full of shit."

The soft, sad face was gone in an instant, replaced by a hard, angry, shocked look. His pants were immediately tight and he silently thanked Dick who'd told him shortly after Veronica came back to town that he needed to stop wearing sweatpants anywhere besides his own bedroom. _"You're gonna put somebody's eye out with that thing,"_ had been his oh so tasteful comment. _"She shows up and boom! You're a walking, talking hard-on."_

"You've sure got a lot of nerve!" she shouted, an angry sneer twisting her lips. " _I'm_ full of shit?"

"Umm, yeah. You're full of shit." He crowded her back against the door again, looming over her but not touching. "When have you and I ever been safe? Being with you is the most dangerous thing I've ever done. Only with you do I risk getting my heart torn out of my chest on a daily basis. You're the only person in this world who can shred me with a glance."

Her eyes grew wide and her breath hitched. He watched her mouth fall open slightly, her lower lip trembling. It was all he could do to not lean down and catch that lip in his teeth. Right before he picked her up and carried her to his bedroom.

"And you. You think back six years and tell me that I was your safe choice. If I had been, maybe you wouldn't have run away." Logan reached out to touch her, but pulled away before he did. That wasn't going to fix this. Yeah, she'd probably fall back into bed with him, like all the other times, but that wasn't going to make her truly see what was right in front of her. It was probably making this even harder to fix. He needed to convince her that she was wrong to keep holding him off because they did belong together. That no one else would ever be enough for him, or for her.

He stepped away from her again, feeling a stab of excitement when she took a small step toward him. She didn't close the distance that he'd initiated but he could still feel the pull between them.

"Come on, Veronica, stop lying to yourself. You're as in love with me as I am with you. We've both tried to move on. For six long and painful years. But we can't. I know I can't at least. And I don't want to. You're who I want. You're the only one I want." His hand touched her face before he could stop it, a single finger stroking her soft cheek.

"We both know that's not true," she said scornfully, jerking her head away from him. "You had someone else here three days after the last time I was here. I am most definitely _not_ the only one you want. I get that you're highly skilled in the art of talking women into your bed but can you at least do me the courtesy of not patronizing me with your well worn seduction lines?" She shook with anger, or maybe disgust. It could be so hard to tell when she went crazy like this. He felt something inside him shatter as he realized that she was probably never going to trust him enough to admit how she felt. It was freshman year at Hearst all over again. He truly was alone.

Logan took another step back, and then another when she followed again. He had to get away.

"Look, believe what you want. I have not had anyone else here since you came back to town. It was pretty rare to actually have anyone here even before you came back, but once you were here and I was hoping that you'd..." He shook his head and turned away. He couldn't keep doing this to himself. "Let yourself out."

He started toward the stairs to his room, then switched course for his office. He knew there was a nearly full bottle of Scotch in there. He had only gotten a few steps away when the feel of her hand burned against his arm. He stopped, unable to resist her touch, even as his head screamed at him to run.

"What do you mean? I saw you pick up that woman. She was very pretty, in a skanky kinda way. Tall brunette? She was definitely your type. Gave me flashbacks to senior year. Is she married too?"

"I don't know what you're talking about, Veronica. The only type I have is tiny blondes with bad tempers and an extraordinary ability to pretend they feel something other than what they really do. And you're the only person who meets that description that I know. So, my type? Only you, baby."

He pulled away from her grasp, unable to stand the heat of her touch when she was refusing what he was offering. He'd been sad without her for the last six years, an empty place inside him that nothing and no one had ever been able to fill, but, after a while, he'd been okay. Reasonably decent life, functioning adult, friends who kept him from being completely alone. Yes, occasionally there were women in his life but no one he wanted to have stay. He'd proved to himself that he could live on his own if he couldn't have her. He knew that his life wasn't all that it could be, but it was fine.

Then, six weeks ago, out of the blue, she was back. Even when he wasn't sure where she was at in her life—was there a husband? children?—the thrill of just being near her again was enough to make his life...almost complete. And then, it turned out there was no husband and no children, and they'd spent time together and he could feel her happiness at being with him, and he was sure, he just knew, it was going to work out this time.

It had taken two weeks of coffee get-togethers and casual lunch dates before she came to dinner at his house. After he plied her with enough Italian food to choke a horse, she'd crawled into his lap and talked about how much she'd missed him. He knew he was taking a huge risk, but when she began to kiss his neck, there wasn't anything that he could do except carry her up to his room and do his best to make up for six lost years.

He'd tried to stay awake once she finally fell asleep, not wanting to give her an opportunity to run away. But it had been a pretty eventful night, and he'd drifted off to sleep with her wrapped in his arms. When he woke in an empty bed, he wasn't even surprised.

He'd finally managed to catch up to her a couple days later, but she'd claimed that she drank too much and got nostalgic. She apologized for the bad decision. Being with her had made him feel more complete than he had in six years and she made it out to be nothing. But, despite her words, she'd kept coming back, and he thought they were making progress. At least, her excuses had been lessening with each visit. The last time she'd come home with him, she'd stayed all night, was still friendly the next morning, and had even been agreeable when he suggested plans for the weekend. He'd had to make a quick trip out of town, but when he returned, ready to spend two days away from everything but her, she hadn't met him as planned and then didn't respond to his calls and texts. He showed up at her dad's, out of his mind with worry about what could have happened to her, and she'd slammed the door in his face. He'd stood there in shock for a moment, then began to knock. After nearly twenty minutes, she'd finally opened the door again, and told him in no uncertain terms that she was done with him. He'd spent the last few days trying to figure out what he'd done, hoping that she'd show up again and give him another chance to prove himself to her. But now that she had, it wasn't about giving him another chance, it was just more accusations.

"Logan, you don't have to lie to me. You don't owe me your fidelity, I get that. Just don't treat me like an idiot and pretend."

Her accusation, and its implication, that they were nothing more than a casual fling, was more than he could take.

"Get out of my house." He turned toward the windows, unable to bear even looking at her. It was suddenly all too clear. She couldn't believe how he felt about her because she didn't feel the same, and he couldn't stand to hope anymore. "The only person I've been lying to is myself, and it's gotta stop." He turned back toward her, resolved at last. "You came to tell me we shouldn't see each other. Message received. Now get out and don't come back. I don't care how horny you get, or how much of a whore you've convinced yourself I am. This house is no longer available for you to satisfy any embarrassing needs you don't want anyone else to know you have."

"Logan." Her voice was soft. "I never called you a—"

"You say it all the time, Veronica, you just use slightly less inflammatory words. And it's just now dawning on me that while I've been seeing our time together since you came back as a new beginning, another chance...for you, it's just that you know I can get you off better than any of your nice guys. I guess my whoring ways are of some benefit to you."

He shrugged and turned away again, moving to where the Scotch and the highball glasses sat. "Were of benefit is what I should say. I'm done helping you scratch an itch while you trample me under your high-heeled boots." He poured about four fingers of the Scotch and gulped it down, relishing the burn down his throat and into the gaping hole he could feel in his chest.

"Logan," she said again, her voice coming closer. He grabbed the bottle and brushed past her; his face averted so she couldn't see the tears he could feel on his cheeks. He paused at the door with his back to her.

"Just go, Veronica, and don't come back."

It took a moment to force himself forward again. He'd assumed that the lack of a significant other when she finally came back meant that they had a chance. Accepting that he was wrong was really hard, but hearing her move behind him gave him the kickstart he needed and he moved swiftly up the stairs into his room. He flicked the lock, slumped against the door, and tipped the bottle up to drink straight from it. He wasn't going to let himself fall back into the same black hole he had when she'd left him six years ago, but he was going to give himself the night to grieve. In the morning, he was putting Veronica Mars in the rear view mirror and he wasn't going to let himself go there again. Not even if it killed him.

* * *

 _AN2: Don't worry so much. You know I can't let this stand._


	2. The More Things Change

_So, what I have learned in the last 2 weeks is that this is actually a 6 chapter story, not 5. Let's just hope the next 2 weeks don't tell me anything different._

 _Thanks to everyone for the encouragement over getting back to regular posting. Right now, with extra chapters ready to go, the biggest challenge is waiting 2 weeks. Soon though, I'll be glad for the 2 week safety net. :)_

* * *

Veronica started after Logan as he stormed out of the room, but he'd caught her off guard with his accusations that she was using him for sex, and it took her a moment before she could shake off his words enough to follow. She watched him bound up the stairs, then heard his bedroom door slam and the lock click loudly, emphasizing once more that he wanted her out of his house and out of his life.

She sank to her knees on the second step, staring up at his closed door. She'd known it was going to turn out like this; that's why her original plan when she decided to return to Neptune after law school had been to avoid him. She'd only come home to prep for the Bar exam, then, once that was done, she'd expected that she'd find a job somewhere other than her hometown and she wouldn't have to worry about being tempted by the sight of Logan Echolls.

Then her dad introduced her to the County's new District Attorney, a woman who'd somehow managed to rally the disenfranchised of Balboa County and displace the long-term incumbent and 09er lackey in the last election. Veronica had been thrilled when she'd been invited to clerk in the office, with the intent of taking on an ADA role once she'd passed the Bar. Home again, in a position to right some of the wrongs still plaguing Neptune; it was a dream come true. Fresh out of a meeting with her soon-to-be boss, she'd literally bumped into Logan as she darted through the familiar doors of Java the Hut.

 _"Oh my God, I'm so sorry," she'd said, grabbing a towel laying on the hostess stand just inside the door. She'd begun to pat whipped cream and syrup off her victim's chest—a very nice chest, she noted with a smile—but when she looked up past the stain and found Logan staring down at her with open mouth and wide eyes, she'd frozen in disbelief. Her shock seemed to nudge him out of his own._

 _"Well, Veronica Mars," he drawled out, a pleased look on his face as he covered her hand against his chest. "This is quite a surprise. I'd heard you were back in Neptune, but when I didn't get a 'howdy stranger' call like all your other old pals, I was pretty sure you had me under surveillance to avoid this exact encounter."_

 _She tried to pulled back, reeling from his presence and his words, but he placed his other hand over the first, anchoring her to him._

 _"You can't seriously think I'm letting you go now that I've got you." He looked down at her, those dark eyes she still saw in her dreams burning through her. "It's a sign, don't you think? The failure of your surveillance?"_

 _She steeled herself against the pull she could already feel in her gut, then sighed and rolled her eyes._ Be cool, Sodapop. _"I did not have surveillance on you."_

 _"Oh, rats." He grinned down at her, patting their hands against his chest. "Obsessive need to know is a sure sign of VMars' interest."_

 _She huffed at him, wrenching her hand out from under his, her fingers only tingling a little from the warmth of his hands, and the memory of how his chest had felt. "I have no need to know; I haven't been avoiding you or seeking you out. Why would I?"_

 _He smiled like he could see right through her, before nodding thoughtfully. "I guess. That does sound crazy, doesn't it."_

 _"Yes, it does." She took a deep breath, trying to put herself back together before she confessed to anything embarrassing, like deliberately avoiding him to keep herself from breaking down and seeking him out. "So, how are you doing? It's been a while."_

 _"Yes, it has." He reached for her hand again. "I've got a meeting in twenty minutes, but maybe we can—"_

 _"A meeting? With a wave?"_

 _The warm look in his eyes cooled. "Umm, no, with one of my authors." He dropped her hand and gestured at himself, in the expensive-looking button-up shirt she'd ruined, black trousers, and dress shoes. "Do I look surf ready? I haven't just been drinking and hanging at the beach with Dick since you left. I graduated from Hearst and got a job, just like a regular guy." He spread his hands to his sides, like he was trying to get her to see him. "Junior editor at Gant Publishing. Believe it or not."_

 _"I'm sorry," she said, "I didn't know."_

 _"Yeah, well..." His voice trailed off, and she filled in the rest in her head._ Whose fault is that, Veronica? _A barista rushed up then, with a replacement of the coffee he was now wearing._

 _"Oh my God, I saw what happened. Here's another for you," the young woman gushed, beaming up at him. Logan smiled at her kindly and took the cup._

 _"Thank you, Nelle. You didn't have to do that."_

 _"It was no problem at all." She stood for a moment, that love-struck puppy look on her face that Veronica had seen on so many women looking at him in the past. Just like always, the look sent a creepy-crawly feeling down her spine. "So, I'll let you go. I know you have an appointment."_

 _"Thanks again, Nelle. Have a great day." He smiled after the departing barista and again, Veronica felt like she always had when he looked at any other woman. Jealous. Itching for piano wire between her fingers. But he wasn't hers and she was being ridiculous._

 _"So, I won't keep you from your meeting," she burst out. "I'm sorry I wrecked your shirt."_

 _The smile that he turned on her was now tight-lipped and subdued, nothing like the friendly smile he'd had for Nelle. "I'll be okay, there's a spare in my office. I'm going to get out of your hair." He stepped around her and pushed the coffee shop door open. She turned to watch him go._

 _"Logan?"_

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"It was good to see you. I'm glad we ran into each other, even if it did cost you a shirt."_

 _He shrugged. "Don't worry about it." He stepped out of the door, then stopped. She saw his shoulders rise and fall, like he was drawing in a deep breath, before he looked back at her again. "No, I take it back, make it up to me with coffee that you don't spill on me. Maybe tomorrow?_ _Around 10:00 AM?"_

 _She paused, contemplating whether she should spend time with him or not. As she'd feared, the physical tug toward him was strong. This was why she had been avoiding him; she was afraid of getting pulled back into his life. She couldn't stay in control with Logan around._

 _"You know what, nevermind, I'll see you around." He dropped the door and stepped away, head down. She watched him walking away from her and felt her stomach clench._

God, this is why I wanted to stay away.

 _"Logan?" She was out the door after him before she could stop herself._

 _"Yeah?"_

 _"Tomorrow at 10:00 AM_ _sounds great. Here? At the Hut?" She thought of Nelle and reconsidered. "Or maybe Beans, over on Bradshaw. They've got a really good lemon cake."_

 _His real smile came back, the one that made her stupid heart swoop in her chest. "I'll be there." He raised his hand in farewell. "See you tomorrow."_

And he _had_ been there, but look where it had gotten her. Trying to recover from another hit and run by Logan Fucking Echolls.

Veronica pushed to her feet, willing herself out of the house. She'd let herself think about some crazy things in the last few weeks, like maybe they could manage to be friends, or more, without pain and destruction. Of course she'd been wrong.

* * *

Backup barked sharply as Veronica stepped into the bungalow. Her second week as a law clerk in Balboa County's District Attorney's office was over and she was ready for the weekend.

"Dude, it's just me." She stepped out of her high-heeled dress shoes, stooping to pluck them up. "I've been home for weeks and you're still barking when I come in?"

"He's just saying hey," Keith said from the kitchen. "He has limited means by which to extend his welcome."

"He used to get up and meet me at the door." She moved into the kitchen, sniffing the air ostentatiously. "Mmmm, it smells yummy in here."

"Thanks. Dinner'll be ready in about fifteen minutes. And Backup's a senior citizen. It's hard on our old hips, jumping up to get the door whenever someone arrives."

"Your hips are fine," she answered dismissively as she redirected her path to the dog bed beside her dad's chair. "Hey, old man, how ya doing?" She crouched beside him as best she could in her narrow suit skirt, crooning to him as she rubbed firmly behind his ears. "Did you have a good day?"

"I'm guessing he slept all day except for when he was eating or welcoming both of us home. So, yeah, he probably did have a good day. I did too, in case you're wondering about me. How about you?"

Veronica made a final kissy sound at the dog, then straightened up, grabbing her shoes again, before walking back to the kitchen island. "It was good. It is so interesting to watch justice take on a different shape in this town. This new Sheriff Lamb, he's very clearly no different than his brother, or Vinnie, but it's like he isn't sure which side he's supposed to be on anymore. He came in today with a deputy with whom Susan needed to discuss case strategy. She set the tone from the beginning; the District Attorney's office will no longer be prosecuting these cases that appear to be nothing but setups against the less affluent of the town, trying to clear the lower rent areas so they can be gentrified to the benefit of the wealthy. There's been so much of that in the last few years. It's just crazy to look at some of the cases that the old DA was prosecuting."

"Believe me, I know. A big chunk of my business in the last few years has been trying to disprove some of these trumped up accusations. The problem's been, when the cops are setting things up, and the DA is going along, it can be hard for the average citizen with a Public Defender to do much more than cop a plea. That's why I campaigned so hard for her. I'm not some soft-on-crime kinda guy; in my heart, I'm always gonna be a cop, but I want actual justice to be done, not just arrests and convictions of those who live in the 02. You know?"

"Oh yeah, I know." She rested her hand against her chest, "Chip", then gestured toward her father, "Block."

"At least you didn't call me old." He came around the island and put his arm around her, kissing the top of her head. "Did Lamb get belligerent with her?"

"No, he sputtered a little at first, but unlike you, he's a politician first and foremost. By the end of the meeting, I wouldn't have been surprised if he was planning to stage a march against corruption in law enforcement." She shook her head. "In case you got a different impression from _every_ single thing he's done in the past, he's totally opposed to bad cops."

Keith laughed. "Yeah, I'd say I got a different impression." He gave her another peck on the head, then stepped back toward the stove top. "Go get changed. You're not eating Tortellini Alfredo in that suit. One drop of sauce on that silk blouse..."

"Yeah, no kidding. Although, how weird is it that you're counseling me on the care of fine fabrics?" He laughed and nodded. "I'll be right back."

* * *

Veronica leaned away from the table with a happy groan. "Why did I ever leave you?" Keith snorted in response. "No, I mean it. I never ate this good at Stanford, or even while I was in New York. I should've just stayed home and let my daddy feed me."

"I'm hoping you gained some things out in the world that made the sacrifice worthwhile."

"I guess." She sighed. "Even when I came home, I wasn't planning to stay. You know that. I would never have expected to find a rewarding job practicing law in Neptune."

"I'm glad I was able to introduce you to Susan. It's going to be good to see this town find its equilibrium again." Keith shrugged. "I mean, it's never going to be the sleepy burg it was when I first arrived; Jake's streaming video changed that forever. But the corruption has gotten so much worse in the last few years. Sure, Don definitely looked the other way when the accused was someone who could donate generously to his re-election campaign, but Vinnie kicked things up in a way that I don't think Don could have ever dreamed up."

"He never did have much imagination," Veronica said with a smirk. Keith choked back a laugh.

"No, probably not. I'm just hopeful for the first time in a while, you know?"

She nodded and reached forward to clasp his hand. "It's good to see that on you."

Keith squeezed back, smiling at her. "I'm glad you're home. It hasn't been the same without you around."

"I'm sure it's been much quieter."

"Mmm, maybe."

"A lot fewer obstruction of justice charges."

"Yeah, but boring. Really boring." They grinned at each other for another moment, then with one final squeeze of their hands, they both sat back in their chairs.

"So, boring without me or not, I'll have my first clerk's paycheck in another week, and eventually, a real lawyer's paycheck. I'm not going to sleep on your pull-out forever."

"Well, thank God for that, it's so awkward sneaking the wild women in after you've gone to sleep."

She held up a hand. "I know you're just kidding around, but seriously, I do feel like I'm cramping your style. I'm gonna get serious about looking for an apartment."

"What? Why? That isn't necessary. I wasn't being serious."

"Well, not about the wild women part, but Dad, you must at least be dating someone. Surely your only companions aren't Backup and Cliff." She wrinkled her nose at him.

"I date, but no one important enough that you need to feel like you aren't welcome here. Everything's fine as it is. You've always got a pull-out couch at my house." He stood up and carried their plates to the sink, shaking his head as he went.

"If I'm not cramping your style, I think I have different worries. Why aren't you dating?"

"We're really having this conversation?" He shook his head again as he rinsed the plates and placed them in the dishwasher. "I date, once in a while. No one's really...caught my attention lately."

Veronica slumped in her chair. "I wish things would have worked out for you and Alicia. It was a little weird back then, but overall, she was the best girlfriend I've ever seen you have. What went wrong there?"

"Really? We're talking about my love life?"

"Or lack thereof," she responded. "Come on, you guys were doing great, then Wallace took off with his dad, and you never went out again. It wasn't like she was still in love with her ex. I think it's safe to guess that she was not of fan of him taking off with their kid."

Keith came back to the table and sat again. "I overstepped in that situation, and she got mad, and that was it, I guess. It was my mistake."

"Did you apologize?"

"She was mad and she was right to be mad." Keith looked down at his hands, which were wringing together. "I didn't think I had the right to...try to get her to change her mind, I guess. And with Wallace gone, it was such a hard time. I didn't want to upset her more."

"Geez, that's stupid." She laughed as her dad's head shot up. "Glaring at me doesn't change anything. That was dumb. Don't you think she could have used your support after Wallace took off? You saw how upset I was; it had to have been a zillion times worse for her. You need to apologize to her for being such a lame brain back then."

"Pretty sure her current husband won't be a fan of me trying to win her back."

"I never said anything about winning her back. I said apologize." He sighed and she reached over to pat his arm. "Although, I do have it on fairly good authority that the current husband may not have that status for too much longer." At Keith's incredulous look, she shrugged. "She kicked him out. Wallace said from the beginning that the guy was bad news. It's looking like he was right."

"Wow. I hadn't heard that." He rubbed his hand against the back of his head. "Well, I'm not going to try to take advantage of her while she's upset about this, but I think you may have something about the apology. I really blew it back then."

"Just see if she needs a friend. That can't hurt."

"Good advice, daughter o'mine. I wasn't there for her back then, maybe I can be of some help to her now."

"Maybe." Veronica took the last sip from her wine glass, then stood. "All you can do is try."

"Hey, come sit with me in the living room for a bit." Keith stood also, gesturing her ahead of him to the sofa. "So, since we're having an unprecedented talk about our love lives—"

"What? _Our_ love lives? No. I don't think we were." Veronica stopped short and shook her head vehemently. "We were talking about _your_ love life. Nothing was said about mine."

"Yet. It occurs to me that living here may be putting a crimp in your style also." He pushed her gently in front of him, getting her going again toward the seating area. "Is that why you want to find your own place?"

"Nononono. NO. Not having this conversation." She resisted when he pushed on her shoulder, encouraging her to sit. "You can't make me."

"Why'd you stop staying over at Logan's?" She gaped at him, finally dropping to the cushions, mostly from shock. "What? We can talk about me, but not about you? I don't think so."

"Why do you think I was at Logan's?" she asked.

"You're telling me you were driving aimlessly around Southern California on those nights when you didn't come home?" He chuckled as he sat in his chair. "That seems a little hard to believe."

"Why are you doing this?" It had been close to two weeks since Logan told her to get out of his house and not come back. She'd done what he wanted, expecting that after a while, they would run into each other and things would thaw again. So far, that had been a wildly inaccurate presumption. She still didn't know how she was going to make things work with Logan. She knew she wasn't going to be able to share him with the rest of the female population of greater Balboa County, but somehow, she couldn't shake the idea, the hope if she was really honest, that maybe, someday...they could at least be friends without hurting each other. She knew from the time they had spent together that her feelings for him were still strong, stronger than any she'd ever had for anyone else, but she also knew that there were women around Logan constantly, offering far less trouble for him than she'd ever been.

"Because you're here, and you're staying, and I had the impression that the two of you had started to work things out. Until suddenly, it became clear that you hadn't."

"We were trying to be friends, but we're just too volatile. Gasoline and a match. It's too destructive." She crumpled her eyebrows and wrinkled her nose, confused. "Why are you bringing this up? You're the last person I would expect to want to talk about this. You always hated Logan."

"No, that's not exactly true. I had reservations about Logan, sometimes pretty serious ones, like during that summer before your Senior year, but I've never hated him. And now, he's grown up, he's gotten himself together, and I know he's still important to you."

"Maybe, but I'm not important to him. Not important enough at least." She laughed, trying to lighten this very unwelcome conversation. "I saw him come into Terri's Diner during lunch a couple days ago. I was already seated, he was at the hostess stand, and as soon as he saw me, he turned around and left. So, I'd say no, we have not worked things out."

Keith's eyebrows furrowed, and she could almost see his brain sifting through this new information. "So you had a fight."

"Dad, come on. One thing that historically I have been able to rely upon you for is not wanting to talk to me about Logan. Can we keep that tradition going? I'd really rather not discuss this."

"Okay, I'll let you off the hook for now, except for this. You're after me because you don't think I'm getting out there enough, trying to find a relationship, or at least people to have in my life. Right?"

She sighed, frowning. "I was, but you can be certain I regret it now. You're welcome to live your life however you want, old man…alone, totally friendless if that's what you want, as long as we don't have to keep talking about me and Logan."

He chuckled. "Too late. The thing is, Veronica, I've been married, happily for a while at least, and I got the greatest kid possible out of that. If I don't ever make another 'love connection'—" she groaned as he made air quotes "—I'll still have lived a full life. You've focused on your education in the last few years, and you're starting a career. I'm great with the choices you've made for your life so far, on what you've chosen to make your focus. But I would hate it, absolutely hate it, if you locked yourself off from ever having a significant relationship in your life because of what happened with me and your mom, or because of what I allowed you to see in our business in your most formative years. You're a whole person on your own, I never want you to think otherwise, but I also don't want you to only stick with safe, predictable romantic relationships because they won't hurt you."

Veronica shook her head violently. "We're not talking about this."

"You don't have to talk. Just listen to me. I know that Logan cares about you. That you're plenty important to him."

"How would you know that?" she asked scornfully.

"He told me. I have actually spent some time with Logan in the six years that you were gone. The first time was when Vinnie called me to get him out of the drunk tank."

"What?!" It took a moment for her to form more words. "Why? Why would he call you?"

Keith laughed again. "Vinnie said that it was my daughter who broke the kid, so I needed to take him off his hands." Her mouth fell open at that, and Keith laughed more loudly.

"Good ole Vinnie. Can't blame him though. Even after he sobered up, Logan refused to leave the holding cell. Vinnie dropped the drunk in public charges, just to try to get rid of him, and Logan said no, he wasn't leaving, he was going to stay there for the rest of his life, he had nowhere else to go."

She felt a searing pain in her chest. "When was that?"

"About the time that the fact that you'd transferred to Stanford got out." He looked at her with raised eyebrows. "I guess you neglected to let Logan know that was happening."

"I didn't tell him. I didn't talk to him at all. I was afraid I'd..."

"Change your mind?"

"Yeah, maybe." She looked away from her father's sympathetic gaze, down to her hands fisted together in her lap. "I was also afraid that he would just say—"

"Good riddance?" She flinched at the harsh words, but nodded.

"Yeah. I was the one leaving, but I was afraid that he was going to be glad. Or at least relieved. I caused him a lot of trouble. Just like I did you."

"Did any of that make me glad to see you go?"

"I don't know, Dad. I guess not, but I wouldn't blame you if it did. Just like I wouldn't have blamed Logan if he was happy to be shut of me."

"He wasn't. Believe me, he was not happy." He moved from his chair to sit beside her on the sofa, putting his arm around her shoulders. "And just for the record, neither was I."

"I guess that's good." She snuggled against her dad's side. "As much as I didn't want to hurt either of you, it is a relief that you weren't just glad I was gone."

"Never, honey." He kissed her temple. "And I can say with absolute certainty that Logan wasn't glad either. But he got it together, and he's actually made something of himself. I've been pretty pleased to watch his accomplishments over the last few years."

"Really?" She looked up at him, feeling skeptical. "That seems surprising. I always felt like you didn't like him."

He shook his head. "You assumed I didn't like him, and you tried to hide him accordingly. It is possible that if you would have let us work things out between us, instead of trying to keep us apart, things might have been different? When you were gone, and unable to keep us from interacting, we did okay. Neither of us killed the other one. We're actually fairly friendly. And he worked like crazy on Susan's campaign, so even if I had no other frame of reference for him, I'd still like him, because of that."

She froze, shocked for about the seventh time in this conversation. "My Susan? My new boss, Susan? Why would he do that? He's an 09er. She ran as the anti-09er candidate. I don't understand."

"You're underestimating him if you think he's still just another 09er," Keith said. "I actually suggested that she bring him in to look over a speech, and he...just stayed. I think he made a pretty big difference too, and he's the one who came up with her campaign slogan."

"Justice for all?" Veronica asked. "Not terribly original."

"In Neptune? You sure about that?" Keith leaned back on the sofa, looking rather smug.

"Okay, that's true. And it wouldn't be the first time that Logan's appropriated someone else's words and taken credit."

"The Shark Stadium essay!" Veronica startled at her father's eruption of laughter. "He said that you'd bring that up if you ever heard about this."

She made a face. "He admitted it?"

"He admitted that he began a ten page essay with a cited quote from 'Easy Rider'. Do you think he just kept copying the dialogue for the next ten pages?"

Veronica tipped her head, suddenly realizing that she'd never thought beyond the first page. "That doesn't really make sense, does it?"

"Umm, no."

"I just assumed..." She stopped. "It was easiest just to think the worst."

"Yeah, well, you might want to stop that," Keith advised.

"Yeah." Veronica sighed, then pushed to her feet. "Okay, not that this conversation hasn't been fun, with you suddenly championing the ex-boyfriend whom I always thought you hated, but I think I need a little time to myself." She leaned down and kissed her father's head as he reached up to grasp her hand. "I'll think about what you've said. Maybe I haven't given Logan a fair shake. Of course, even if I decide to apologize, who knows if he'll even care. Last time we actually spoke, he told me to get out and not come back. So I'm not sure if I can fix this or not."

"I'm pretty sure you can. That's my impression at least. I know you mean a lot to him. But, as much as I do like Logan, you're my daughter, so I'm going to stand by you, whatever you decide is the right choice. All right?" He squeezed her hand with a loving smile. She nodded in response.

"Thanks, Dad. I appreciate that you've always put me first, whether I deserve it or not. I'll think about what you've said."

"That's all I ask. Sleep tight, honey."


	3. It's Not What You Think

Two days later, Veronica sat alone in one of Neptune's trendy new dining spots, debating whether a mimosa was the way to go. She was here for Sunday brunch after all, but her date was late, and she knew from experience that sometimes Mac got so involved with her coding that she'd forget when she was supposed to be somewhere else. _How pathetic do I look not only brunching alone, but drinking alone as well?_ She pulled out her phone and sent a quick text.

 _VERONICA MARS: Am I getting stood up here? I can still make an only slightly humiliating exit if you can't meet me._

She set the phone down on the table in front of her and sipped from her water glass. As much as she wanted the chance to discreetly pick Mac's brain about the new and improved Logan whom her dad had described on Friday, she was only waiting five more minutes before she bailed. Next time they made plans, she was going to pick Mac up rather than plan to meet her. _No amount of dirt is worth sitting here like a lonely, friendless loser._

Her phone buzzed and Veronica sighed in relief. If she was getting stood up, it was better to know now.

 _Q: So sorry, there in 15. Vegan quiche plz._

Veronica chuckled at the thought of vegan quiche. _How does that even work?_

 _VERONICA MARS: All right. I'm ordering mimosas for both of us. Hurry up so I don't drink yours too._

She lifted her hand enough to catch the waiter's eye.

"Are we ready to order, miss? Or...are we still waiting?"

Veronica blew out a long breath, trying to not jump across the table and wring the smug asshole's neck. "My brunch companion has confirmed that she should be here in a few minutes. Please bring us two mimosas to start, then she would like the vegan quiche, and I'll have the ham and cheese omelette with the hash browns, a double side of bacon and three pancakes."

He seemed a little surprised at the size of her order, but he wasn't the first waiter who'd looked askance at how much food Veronica could put away. _No wonder so many women have eating disorders._

"Right away, miss. I'll have the mimosas out shortly." The waiter nodded and walked away, leaving Veronica to deliberately not think about Logan as she people-watched around the room. Now that she knew she wasn't going to be doing the 'My date stood me up' walk of shame out of the building, she was more comfortable as she sat waiting for her beverage.

She was nursing her mimosa and making up vaguely criminal back stories for the restaurant patrons when her attention was caught by a tall, familiar-looking brunette entering the dining room behind the hostess, leading a sandy haired little boy by the hand. Veronica was filing the attractive face through her brain when she spotted the woman's companion and suddenly realized where she'd seen her before. Standing in Logan's arms outside a bar in downtown Neptune. Now, she was leading the way with Logan behind her, an infant carrier in one hand and a small girl with light brown hair settled in the crook of his other arm, her little arms laced tightly around his neck.

Veronica shrank back into the corner of the booth, thanking every possible deity there was that she'd chosen seats in the far corner rather than the tables by the windows. Even as she tried to stay out of sight, she couldn't pull her eyes away from Logan and his tiny charges. She couldn't see the baby, but the little girl was animated, chattering in his ear as he walked behind the woman who was probably her mother. He wore a broad smile, his attention moving between the little girl and navigating safely through the restaurant. He seemed to be fully engaged in conversation with the girl, who Veronica guessed was maybe three or four. She wasn't sure; she had minimal experience with children. As she watched, the little boy turned and walked sideways, still grasping his mother's hand, so he could get into the conversation. Veronica cringed when both children laughed as Logan bumped him gently with the infant carrier.

Their party of five reached one of the tables with a window seat and the boy climbed onto one bench while Logan set the girl on the other. They both scrambled across their respective benches, meeting in the window seat where they knelt side-by-side, poking at each other. The mom slid onto the bench that the boy had climbed onto and it appeared that she told them to behave because Veronica saw their mouths move simultaneously in what appeared to be 'Yes, Mama'. Logan had rested the infant carrier on his bench, and continued to stand, until the hostess came back to the table with a high chair that Logan perched the carrier in before sliding into his seat.

Veronica watched in horrified fascination as the mom had a conversation with the hostess while Logan turned his attention to the still unseen infant. She watched his face soften as he spoke to the child, his hand disappearing into the carrier for a moment before his attention was brought back up by the little boy who had clambered past his sister and was now standing on the bench next to Logan with his arms around his neck. She saw Logan put his arm around the boy, pulling him close, and she choked out a gasp when he gave the little boy a kiss on the forehead.

Every indication that she could see shouted out 'Dad and his kids'. Correction: 'Dad and Mom with their kids'. Was Logan married to this woman? Why did he have a house without them? She was absolutely certain that the house that Logan had been bringing her to was not his home with a wife and three children. Everything about that house screamed rich, single male with nothing to suggest pre-school children lived there. But maybe he'd just kept his bachelor pad after getting together with this woman, and when he wasn't dallying with Veronica, and anyone else he cheated with, he lived somewhere else with his happy little family. Or maybe they weren't married, but they definitely seemed to be friendly. What did this woman think when Logan was away from them for days at a time?

The boy had moved back to the window seat and Logan had turned to the infant carrier again, hands back inside,before unexpectedly lifting the baby out. Probably a girl from the pink and green design on the outfit. Logan tucked her into the crook of his arm, looking far more comfortable with the baby in his arms that Veronica knew that she would in that circumstance. She almost forgot that she was trying to hide as she watched him coo and make faces at the baby. When he suddenly stood and stepped out of the booth to hand the baby across to the woman, she cringed back again, hoping that he wouldn't notice her without the baby taking his attention. It was an unfounded fear; he immediately slid back onto the bench and both the older children climbed onto him. She was distracted again by the woman who had covered the baby with a drape and was apparently breastfeeding her there at the table. That sealed the question for Veronica. _Who would breastfeed right in front of a man who wasn't her significant other?_

She sat seething as she watched Logan and the woman converse across the table while the older children settled in with crayons. They looked roughly the same age, although Veronica couldn't be sure of that. All she did know was that while Logan had been professing his great love for her, he'd had this family hidden away.

The death glare she was shooting at lying, cheating, heart-breaking Logan was broken when suddenly, Mac entered her field of vision. Their eyes met and Mac gave her an apologetic smile as she hurried toward their table, then, unexpectedly, Veronica heard Mac's name being called. Mac looked toward the sound, confusion on her face until she identified where her name had come from. Her eyes shot back to Veronica, wide with surprise, then she changed direction to move to the table where Logan sat with his family.

Veronica watched with narrowed eyes as Mac greeted the woman and Logan, and then the children. Clearly they knew her; the little girl clambered out of the window seat and tromped over Logan to climb into Mac's arms. Veronica saw Logan's head swivel to look at her when Mac gestured in the direction of their table, likely explaining who she was meeting, but Veronica had no idea what his face reflected because she refused to meet his glance. There was too much risk of her storming over and punching him in the face if she saw him acknowledge that they both now knew he was a lying, cheating snake.

Mac interrupted her attempt to immolate him with her glare when she set the little girl back on the bench, waved good-bye, and headed for the table where Veronica sat, fighting the nausea rolling over her.

"Hey, sorry 'bout that," she said as she slid into the booth. "I know you're not talking to him right now. I didn't realize they'd be here." She grabbed the mimosa and took a sip. "Mmm, yummy. I'm really sorry to be late. I've been debugging pretty much straight through since yesterday and the time got away from me."

"Mac, you can't possibly think that we're going to talk about computers right now."

"When do you ever want to talk about computers?"

"Mac, come on." Veronica shook her head. "You obviously knew about them. Why haven't you told me? You know that Logan and I were...well, you know that we were spending time together. How could you let me do that?"

Mac frowned. "How could I let you see Logan? I would never get in the way of you guys trying again. You're the one doing that."

"Mac! You know his wife! Or at least his Baby Mama. You're friendly enough with them that his daughter just mauled you in a restaurant. And you're encouraging me to help him cheat on them without even knowing that I'm doing it? I was hoping...I thought maybe..." She stumbled to a stop, looking down at her hands, clenching and unclenching in her lap, needing to stop the tumble of words before she voiced what she'd been stupid enough to hope for from Logan.

"Are you nuts?" Mac's angry whisper caught Veronica's attention and she raised her eyes to her friend's disbelieving glare. "Do you really think so little of me that you can even entertain this idea? Frankly, I'm not entirely shocked that you think Logan would do this; you lose all semblance of rational thought when you're near him. But thinking I would encourage you to participate in infidelity without even knowing it?" She stopped and drew in a deep breath, then held it as she seemed to try to calm herself.

Veronica stared at Mac, transfixed by this response, unlike anything she'd witnessed from her before. She realized that she had never seen Mac get mad...ever. And she also realized that she was completely lost in whatever was happening right now.

"Look, Mac, I didn't mean to be insulting—"

"Imagine if you tried."

"—but I saw Logan and that woman together outside a bar a couple of weeks ago. They were hugging, and they got in his car, and he drove her to his house. He'd had me there three nights earlier, pledging his eternal love and other nonsense, and then he brought her home with him. That was when I knew...that he wasn't as serious about me as he claimed. If he could pick someone up at a bar and bring her home with him, he wasn't looking for something long-term with me."

"You saw the guy you love on the street and instead of stopping to greet him, you follow him to spy." Mac shook her head. "You are fuckin' deranged."

"Everybody cheats, Mac. And everybody leaves."

"No, they don't, Veronica." Her hand banging on the table matched her raised voice and made Veronica jump along with the silverware. "No, they don't," she repeated in a lower tone. "And until you learn that, really let yourself believe it, you are never going to be happy."

Veronica sighed and dropped her head to rest in her hands. _I should have never come back here._

"Veronica." Mac's tone had calmed and Veronica lifted her head slowly, afraid of what her friend wanted to say to her after such an unexpected reaction.

"Yeah?"

"I need you to stop leaping to conclusions for a minute and hear me out. Can you do that please?"

"Look, I'm sorry. I know it isn't your fault that I let myself believe—"

"No, you need to just shut up and listen." Veronica's mouth snapped shut in shock. Mac sighed and looked up at the ceiling, drawing in a deep breath before leveling her sights back onto Veronica. "Okay, I usually try to stay out of this thing between you and Logan. You know I don't like to get involved in other people's personal stuff."

"What kind of thing? I just said, I know that what Logan does is not—"

"You're talking again."

Veronica huffed, starting to get angry. "Yeah, I am. I'm upset about this. Believe me, I wish I wasn't."

"If you just let me talk, without interrupting, maybe you won't be as upset. Okay?" Mac spread her hands, palm up.

"Okay, fine." Veronica made a lip zipping, key throwing away gesture, rolling her eyes violently the whole time.

Mac smirked and shook her head. "Your cooperation is admirable. Now, as I said, I don't like to involve myself in other people's love lives, mainly because I don't want them in mine, but you're my friend, and since you won't let yourself see the truth, I'm gonna make an exception and spell it out for you."

Veronica opened her mouth to protest again but stopped when Mac pointed sharply at her.

"Seriously. Zipped. Now, I'm going to say this straight out before you start arguing again. Those children are not Logan's and that woman is not his wife, or his baby mama, or even someone he dates."

This time, Veronica's mouth opened in surprise. She leaned forward, peering at the table by the window. The woman was reaching across the table, her hand over Logan's, speaking forcefully to him as he looked steadfastly down.

"Sure about that?" Veronica asked, jerking her head toward the table.

"One hundred percent sure. Her name is Camille Stone. She's his sister-in-law and the kids are his nieces and nephew."

Veronica narrowed her eyes. "Stone? Charlie's wife?"

"Yes."

"Where's Charlie? Why is Logan the one escorting his family around town? And going to bars with his wife?"

An exasperated sigh burst out of Mac. "Charlie's chaperoning a group of high school students for a month-long program in Washington D.C. He'll be back in a little more than a week. I think that the night you thought you saw them together outside a bar—"

"I did see them."

"—was the night that Logan took Camille to dinner to try to cheer her up. You saw them as being outside a bar. They were really coming out of the restaurant next door to the bar. You followed them back to Logan's, right? Dick and I were there watching the kids."

"Oh."

"You wanna know what she told me about that night? He was so happy. He was sure he was finally making progress with you. He was planning a party for the next weekend, so he could introduce you to all of them." Mac leaned back in the booth. "He's really close with those kids. And he's great with them. They adore their Uncle Logan."

Veronica closed her eyes, thinking of the things she'd said because she'd gotten jealous of Logan's sister-in-law. "Okay, I made a mistake."

"Ya think?" Mac's caustic tone made Veronica cringe.

"But Mac, even if this one wasn't what I thought, you know how Logan is. Always with the women hanging off him."

"Oh geez, you know he doesn't care about any of them. He cares about you. He loves you. And you love him, even if you're scared to admit it."

"I'm not scared. I'm just...pragmatic. I'm not sure we're good for each other." She peeked over at the other table again. "I'm not blaming him." The look Mac gave her was incredulous. "It's true. I don't blame him for this...not now at least. But I don't think I'm good for him either. I get too judgy and I'm always suspicious. He shouldn't have to put up with that...alter his life...just because of me."

Mac shook her head. "The part of me who is Logan's friend kinda agrees with that statement, even though I know you don't actually mean it. Dick absolutely agrees. He's been terrified since you came back to town. But he's had to put Logan back together enough times that he has a reason."

"Hold up. You're taking Dick Casablancas' side over mine?" For a moment, the issue of Logan vanished, as she contemplated Mac siding with Dick instead of her.

"I don't think there are sides here. I think what will make Logan happy will make you happy too, if you'll just let yourself be." She reached across the table and grasped Veronica's hands. "Wake up and see what's in front of you again. The Fettuccine, remember? Don't push it away because it's got too many calories. You're skinny; you can handle it. Hell, you need that yummy, cheesy goodness."

Veronica choked out a laugh at the old analogy and the kinda creepy extra part that Mac had thrown in for effect. "You make it sound like you wouldn't mind a bite yourself."

Mac huffed, sounding a little irritated. "You know I don't eat real cheese. That doesn't mean that I can't make a menu suggestion."

"This is weird," Veronica said, but any further thoughts were interrupted by the arrival of their meals.

"See?" Mac said after the waiter had moved away again. "I'm not eating that bacon, but I can certainly see that it would agree with you."

"Yeah, I guess you're right," Veronica replied, biting off a chunk of the thick-cut strip. She was interrupted again by another voice.

"Hey, Mac, why don't you introduce us to your friend." The tall brunette stood next to their table, the little girl Logan had carried into the restaurant in her arms. She smiled warmly at Mac, but Veronica noticed that her gaze wasn't quite as friendly when she looked at Veronica.

"Oh, Camille, hi again, umm, yeah, this is Veronica Mars, an old friend from Neptune High." Mac looked nervously between Camille and Veronica. "Umm, Bond, this is Camille Stone, and her daughter, Corrine."

"Hi," the little girl said, holding her hand up and giving Veronica a quick wave. In spite of the tension, Veronica smiled at her.

"Hi there. It's very nice to meet you." She glanced at Logan's sister-in-law. "You too, Camille."

"Mmmhmm." The other woman's response was about as noncommittal as it could be. "I've heard a lot about you."

"That's not frightening at all." She was trying to joke but she didn't think it landed based on Camille's glare.

"How's your breakfast, girly girl?" Mac asked the child, obviously trying to ease the conversation.

"Yummy! I got smiley face pancakes and bacon...like that." She waved her hand at the half-eaten bacon still in Veronica's hand.

"It's good, huh?" Veronica prompted, and the little girl nodded eagerly. "And pancakes with a smiley face. They only brought me plain old pancakes. Who do I have to talk to to get a face on mine?"

Corrine's answer was not what she expected. "My Unca Logan. He always gets faces on my pancakes. Carver's pancakes, too."

"Is Carver your brother?" The child nodded.

"Uh huh." She squirmed in her mother's arms and the smile fell off her face. "Mama, need go potty."

"Okay, hun, we're going." She looked at Mac. "Good to see you. You and Dick should come over when Charlie gets back." Her gaze shifted to Veronica. "Nice to finally meet you." She turned crisply and headed for the restrooms.

"Pretty sure I've got frostbite now," Veronica said, popping the remainder of the bacon into her mouth.

"Can you blame her?" Mac asked as she dug into her quiche. "She's very protective of Logan. You'd think she was his sibling, rather than Charlie. She was the reason Charlie even reached out to Logan in the first place."

"Why would she do that?"

"It was after the twins were born. She decided that Charlie needed a brother too. So she got him Logan."

In spite of herself, Veronica laughed. "You make it sound like she picked him specially. Unless Charlie's mom made it a point to pick up celebrities for brief flings, I'm pretty sure Logan was her only option."

"She just sought him out. Logan was agreeable to finally meeting the real Charlie, so Camille set it up."

"Once Logan found out that Real Charlie hadn't sicced Norman Phipps on him deliberately, he tried to reach out to him directly. Charlie just ignored his calls." Veronica remembered that time with an ache.

"Well, even if Charlie was still mad, it's hard to say no to Camille. Plus, she'd just given him a son and a daughter in one fell swoop. I think that gave her some leverage."

Veronica peeked over at the table by the window again. The little boy, Carver, still sat in the window seat, eating something with his fingers. Logan sat on his bench, the baby held up to his shoulder, patting her back and rocking gently. She felt an explosion of emotion inside her at the sight: guilt, sorrow, longing, even gratitude to the woman who had just tried to freeze her because she'd finally been able to give Logan something he'd never had before. A real family. She looked back at Mac.

"What's the baby's name?"

"Charlotte."

Veronica laughed. "All C's."

"Yeah. Dick refers to them as the C's."

"Okay, let's get me off the hot seat for a moment. Why does Dick keep coming up in this conversation?"

"He's Logan's best friend."

"That's not what I'm talking about. He keeps coming up in association with you. _You and Dick_ were babysitting. _You and Dick_ should come over once Charlie's home. You sound like you're a package deal." She smirked as Mac's expression changed to one of discomfort. It felt good to turn the tables, even if it wouldn't last.

"Look, it's no big deal. We hang out sometimes, and all of us have Logan in common, so they see us together a lot." Veronica raised her eyebrows and Mac backtracked. "Not together, just at the same time."

"Hey, I was just curious. It's no skin off my nose if you're actually together."

"Really?" Mac asked incredulously. "If I told you that Dick and I were dating, you wouldn't have an aneurysm right here at the table?"

Veronica picked her fork up again, stabbing at her hash browns. "Of course not. That would be ridiculous."

"Well good." Mac lifted her glass and drank the last of her mimosa. "So, back to the real issue at hand—"

"Hang on. Are you telling me that you and Dick are dating or not?"

"No." Mac smiled sweetly across the table at Veronica, then raised one finger, gesturing toward her face. "The twitching eyelid isn't a sign of that aneurysm, right?"

"No, you're not telling me, or no, you're not dating?"

"No." Her smug look made Veronica want to scream, but she knew it was pointless.

"Fine. I don't care about this one way or the other." She shrugged and pushed a bite of pancake through the pool of syrup she'd poured onto her plate.

"What a relief that is," Mac said and Veronica gave what she hoped translated as a dismissive shrug. "So let's get back to the subject at hand." Mac pushed her plate off to the side of the table and leaned back. "You know now that Logan isn't involved with Camille. You've outright admitted here that you had hoped for something long-term with him, that you believed that there was something happening between you."

Veronica squirmed uncomfortably. "I don't think that I exactly said that."

"No, not exactly, because you were too crushed by the idea that it was impossible." She pinned Veronica to her seat with her next words. "So what's stopping you from going over there right now and apologizing for jumping to a wrong conclusion and asking him if you can start again?"

The idea flared hope in her chest but almost as quickly as it began, she squelched it. "Oh, I don't know, how about the potential for this same thing to happen again? He's always gonna have beautiful women sniffing around, looking for something from him, and if nothing else, I think we've learned today that I'm not capable of dealing with that. It's just inevitable that we'll be in this exact position again, probably sooner rather than later."

"Only if you do something to make that happen." Mac shook her head. "Personally, I hope that if anyone is ever as in love with me as Logan is with you, I'll be confident enough in that love that a bunch of women who mean less than nothing to him won't keep me from having the person I love the most."

"You don't know—"

"Yes, I do." Mac looked away for a moment, her lips pressed together, like she was considering her words, before her gaze pinned Veronica in place. "He loves you and you love him. You can't convince me otherwise. Your excuses to stay apart are misunderstandings or outright bullshit. So now, you've gotta figure out what's more important: being happy or avoiding anything that scares you."

"I told you before, I'm not scared—"

"I'm calling bullshit, Bond. You're scared of anyone knowing you might actually be vulnerable. But the thing is, you've gotta let yourself be vulnerable if you're ever going to really be happy." Veronica opened her mouth to protest and Mac held up her hand.

"Nuh uh. I don't mean satisfied with what you've accomplished or that you've gotten something over on someone who irritates you. I mean happy. Really, truly, actually happy. Can you say you're happy? Because I don't think you can."

Veronica sighed. "I'm not sure I know how to do that. It's just always seemed more important to...I don't know...I guess...be successful in everything? And if that was my goal, my lack of success in my relationships meant that they weren't all that important."

"Trust me. They're important. You can have a life without them, but if you don't have anyone to share that life with, a lot of things don't mean that much."

"I think my dad gave me this same lecture a couple of days ago. He was advocating for Logan then too." She dropped her head against the back of the booth and huffed in exasperation. "I don't understand what's going on here."

"Well, one thing that's going on is your easy opportunity is about to get away." Veronica sat up again to see Mac tilt her head toward the tables against the windows. She followed her gaze to the table of C's and Logan and found that they seemed to be finished with their meals, the baby was back in the carrier, and both Camille and Logan were standing beside their benches with the kids each standing up on them with their hands held up, fingers outstretched to be wiped clean. She tipped her head to the side, watching the process in fascination. Logan was working with Carver, and his obvious patience and tenderness with the little boy made her eyes well up. When they finished and Carver turned his face up to Logan, who kissed him delicately on the nose, she had to look away before she did something embarrassing.

"Pretty sweet, huh?" Mac's voice broke through her swirling thoughts. "He really is great with them."

"Yeah." Clean-up complete, Camille grabbed the infant carrier and held Corrine's hand as she hopped off the bench. As they headed for the door, Logan scooped Carver up, then tucked the giggling boy under his arm like he was carrying a football, before turning to follow Camille and the girls.

"Okay, well, now it's on you." Veronica pulled her gaze away from the door that Logan had just vanished through, focusing back on Mac.

"What do you mean?"

"Do you chase him down and at least apologize for jumping to the wrong conclusion about him and Camille...and maybe let him know that before you got the wrong idea, you'd been hoping that the two of you—"

"I can't tell him that!"

"Why not?" Mac looked at her sternly. "Tell me why not."

"He might—"

"What? What, Veronica? He might tell you that he loves you and he would give anything if the two of you could..." Mac paused.

"Could what?"

"Whatever you haven't been able to bring yourself to say out loud. I'm pretty sure there's nothing you could think up, commitment-wise, that he wouldn't be fully on board with." She paused again and rested her hand over Veronica's. "Just suck it up, Mars. You're braver than anyone I know, unless it's about your personal life. Then you're a chickenshit."

"What?!" Veronica gasped.

"You heard me." Mac chuckled. "So knock it off."

Veronica glanced toward the windows, torn between the hope that Logan was still outside within her reach and that he was already far away so she wouldn't have to do anything uncomfortable or embarrassing today. She wasn't sure how she felt when she saw him walking beside Carver, holding his hand as the little boy balanced along the top of a short wall running beside the path to the parking lot.

"There's your chance," Mac said. Her tone softening, she continued. "No one says you have to make a lifetime commitment right now. Just go tell him you're sorry that you got the wrong impression and you'd maybe like to spend time with him again, if he's willing." She patted Veronica's hand again. "It won't hurt. I promise."

"Unless he tells me to fuck off," Veronica said and Mac laughed.

"He won't in front of Carver, trust me." She made a shooing motion. "Hurry up, before he gets away."

Veronica stood, suddenly feeling the urgency of what she needed to do. "I'll be back."


	4. We Might Be Onto Something Here

"Logan?"

Veronica's voice froze Logan mid-stoop as he bent to pick Carver up and swing him off the low retaining wall where his nephew had been balancing. She'd refused to look at him while they were both in the restaurant and he couldn't really blame her for that. He'd turned around and left a restaurant about a week earlier when he'd seen that she was already sitting inside. He'd never expected that today she'd follow him out. He straightened back up slowly before turning to face her. Her expression startled him. He'd expected anger, not an expression that looked more like confusion, and maybe regret.

"Uncle Logan!"

He turned back toward Carver, grinning in spite of himself at the little boy with his arms raised and his lower lip jutting out.

"Swing me!" he said in his insistent little voice.

Logan heard a giggle behind him and peeked back over his shoulder at Veronica who was now fighting a smile as she watched his nephew.

"Better get to swinging, Uncle Logan," she said in an amused voice.

He raised his eyebrows at her, then turned back to Carver. "What do you say?"

"Please swing me," Carver answered obligingly and Logan stooped again, grabbed him under the arms and swung him up so his legs flew up above his head. He actually tossed the boy, just a little, for flare, but enough to get a loud squeal out of Carver and a gasp out of Veronica.

"Again, again!" Carver cried but Logan shook his head and set him carefully on the ground.

"Not this time, buddy." He squatted next to the boy. "Do you see your mom and your sisters?"

"Uh huh." Carver nodded toward an SUV a little further down the sidewalk where Camille was buckling Corinne into her car seat.

"Can you walk down there by yourself like a big boy? I need to talk to this lady for just a minute and then I'll be there too."

Carver looked at Veronica with a smile. "She's pretty. Like Mommy."

Logan looked up at her, letting himself really drink in the sight of her, her cheeks pink as she dimpled at Carver. "Yeah, she is." He pulled his eyes away, before he did something stupid, and turned the boy toward the rest of the family, giving him a quick pat on the rump. "Straight to your mom and stay on the sidewalk." He straightened up and watched him scoot away. "Walk, don't run."

Logan felt Veronica move up beside him and he glanced down at her. She was also watching Carver make his way to the rest of the family. "So, what did you need, Veronica?"

She kept her eyes on Carver. "Umm, well..."

"They're waiting for me," he pointed out, suddenly concerned that he no longer had a pre-schooler-sized buffer between them. "I'm in kind of a hurry."

"Yeah, umm, yeah. Sorry." She shuffled her feet for a moment, then looked up at him. "So... I just wanted to apologize. I'm sure you realize that when I was harassing you about having someone at your house, I was really talking about your sister-in-law. I didn't know and I was wrong to accuse you."

An apology was not what he'd been expecting. More accusations, yes; apologies, no. It took him a moment before he could gather enough of his wits to respond. "Oh, that, yeah. I actually didn't realize it at first. I just thought you were..." He paused. Saying he thought she'd gone crazy didn't seem like a winning argument. "Eh, whatever. It wasn't until later that the pieces finally came together. Camille's actually the one who made me see it. She was a little miffed that you said she looked skanky."

"That's not...well, that is kinda what I said, but I didn't mean..." She sighed and shook her head. "Geez, as if she didn't already hate me enough because of you..."

"What?"

"Doesn't matter. I just wanted to say I was sorry. I was out of line. I thought..." She shook her head again. "I know I was wrong, I know I overreacted, I...I just wanted to let you know." She took a step back, then stopped again. "Maybe you can tell Camille I'm sorry too. Mac told me she's the one who got Charlie to finally reach out to you. That's great. I'm so glad you've got them." She glanced over at the car. "You look like you're an awfully good uncle."

"Yeah, well, they make it easy." He ran his hand over the top of his head, before gripping the back of his neck. "I need to get back to them."

"Okay, I'll let you go." She stood stiff and still, watching him.

"All right then. I'll see you later." He took a single, shuffling step away before being brought up short again by her voice.

"Will you? See me later? Or are you going to keep dodging me forever?"

He couldn't turn around; he didn't want to have to look at her. He knew what would happen if he did. Begging, groveling, capitulating.

"What does it matter, Veronica? We have different goals. I think we need to accept that and get on with our lives. Ya know?"

"Goals? I don't understand. What do our goals have to do with anything?"

This time he couldn't stop himself from turning to face her. "You just want something casual between us and I've finally figured out that I can't go along with that anymore. I won't leave a restaurant to get away from you again, I'm sorry about that, but I can't just hang around you and pretend it's enough. Maybe after a while, I'll be able to deal with you like that, but right now, I need to have some space to work this out in my head and finally accept that we don't want the same things. Can you give me that? Just a little space?"

Her face was showing confusion again. "Logan, I'm sorry, I don't understand. What do you want?"

He threw his hands up and spun away, then back to face her again. "Seriously? I've been telling you since you came back that I still love you, that I've never stopped. And what I want is what Charlie and Camille have: marriage and kids and forever. Honestly, I've wanted that with you since we were seventeen, but I've always known that wasn't ever going to be your thing. But I can't pretend anymore that the booty calls and the casual encounters are enough. I want everything with you, but you...you don't want that. I used to think that I could survive on the crumbs you're willing to toss my direction, but I just can't. It hurts too much now that I've seen how much more there is out there, how much more we could have. How much more we could be."

He stopped then, finally cinching down the stream of words that had run out of him unchecked. _For God's sake, how much more pathetic can you be?_ Her face was white and still and he could see her trembling. He hated that he'd spilled his guts, and made her feel sorry for him, but he had to make her understand what this was doing to him so he could get the distance he needed. He didn't think that she would deliberately hurt him, if she understood. "You know, Veronica, I'm so glad you've gotten to come home and make your life around your dad and your friends, but honestly, it's still hard for me to be around you. It was easier when you were gone and I understood that I wasn't going to get to have you. When you came back, I let myself hope, but I get it now. That it's not going to happen."

"Logan—"

"Don't misunderstand. I'm not trying to say you should leave again. I just need some space between us to work this out. Until then, can we maybe...just...keep our dist—"

She huffed loudly and he paused, not sure what her sigh meant. Her face was unreadable and, as he watched, she squared her shoulders like she was ready to do battle. His heart sank. He'd hoped they could at least learn to be civil.

"Veronica, look—"

"Logan? I get why you're done trying with me. I'm not sure I'm worth the trouble either. But maybe, could you give me just a little more time?"

He frowned, uncertain what she was trying to say. "Time for what?"

She sighed again, and tipped her head back, looking up at the sky instead of at him. "Time to get my own life a little more in order. Time to really believe that those things you say you want are even possibilities for me." She looked at him again and her eyes were shiny. "I think about those things too, with you, but I've never really...believed they could be real."

He couldn't do anything but gape at her. "What?" he managed to choke out.

She squeezed her eyes tightly shut, her face contorting almost like she was in pain. Actually, considering she seemed to be confessing feelings, he wouldn't have been surprised if she was in actual pain. Discussion of her feelings had never been a preferred topic. "Do you really want to be with me?" she asked in a low voice. "Like, forever?"

"Of course I do." He laced his fingers together against his stomach, trying to keep from reaching out for her before she was ready. "Forever and ever."

"Why?" Her eyes popped open at that question, and he fought the completely inappropriate chuckle that threatened. Naturally, Veronica Mars would need a clear view while she's trying to pull information out of a mark. He didn't mind though. He could feel the tendrils of hope working their way through him again, that maybe he was getting one more chance, and he would do whatever was necessary to get past her defenses.

"You make my life better. When something good happens to me, I always want to share that with you. Even when you weren't here. And if something bad happens, being with you helps make it bearable. It's your opinion I want to hear when I see something new, or crazy, or beautiful. First thought through my head: 'what would Veronica think of that?'. It's true that my life's pretty full these days, a lot more than it was before you left, but there's still a Veronica-shaped hole that nothing else ever fills."

"You can't know that. I'm incredibly difficult, and judgmental, and I've let you down before. There's no way to know that you won't get fed up with me."

This time he did chuckle, then laughed outright at her frown. "You ran away and didn't even say good-bye before going radio-silent for six years, and at no point did I ever stop thinking of you as the love of my life. Can you think of anything you could possibly do that would make me finally say I'm done?"

She tilted her head and one side of her mouth drew up into a half smile. "I could kill someone."

"I'm sure I know a lawyer." He smirked at her. "Oh...wait."

"I could piss off your sister-in-law."

"You will. And I cannot wait to see what happens then."

"I could say something cutting and judgmental."

He laughed again and stepped closer to her. "Baby, I live for your sickle wit."

She rolled her eyes at him. "I guess that's something we have in common."

He closed the remaining space between them, cradling her cheek in his hand as he smiled down at her. "So, you asked for time."

"And you asked for space," she retorted. "Not sure that word means what you think it means."

He laughed down at her, the tightness that he'd felt in his chest for the last few weeks unfurling as she smiled back at him. "I work with words for a living, Veronica. I'm pretty sure I know what I'm talking about." She harrumphed at him. "And if you asking for time means that you're considering the things we're was talking about, then I only need the space that makes you comfortable to really give us a fair shot. Because I'm not kidding, Veronica. I can't get back on the merry-go-round with you. I want us more than anything, but I can't do the on and off thing anymore. I just can't."

She nodded, her face serious. "I get the stakes."

"I hope so." Logan leaned down and pressed his lips to her forehead. "Take your time, Veronica. Figure out what you need to. Because I want all of you. Not just bits and pieces. Please trust me on that."

She nodded but was silent, and he saw her swallow hard. He kissed her forehead again, then the top of her head, stroking her cheek once more with his thumb before releasing her and backing away a step. "I'm going to go. The kids are probably driving Camille nuts, strapped in their car seats. Do what you need to do, Veronica, but remember, when you're ready, I'll be waiting. Okay?"

She nodded again and he took another step back, but before he could turn away, she reached for his hand. "Logan?" Her voice was tiny and seemed hesitant.

"Yeah?"

She moved closer, standing right in front of him, the toes of their shoes bumped up together. "I do think some time is a good idea, just to let some of this stuff really sink in. I've held...certain opinions for a lot of years. Believing in what you're talking about...it might be kinda hard at first."

Logan sighed, but he understood what she was saying. "I know. That's why I said, take your time. Just please, try to let yourself believe."

"I will. I do. Believe. Right now, at least. I just need to stop letting my old fears make me doubt." Her face seemed hopeful and it made him feel that way too.

"Good. You can do it. When have you ever failed?" She snorted and waved her free hand in the space between them, but he shook his head. "Uh uh. We're still here, right? You haven't failed yet."

"That's true, good point," she said, sounding more confident. "So, it occurs to me, that maybe, the time I need doesn't have to be spent completely away from you."

He laughed and squinted at her. "Already breaking your own rules."

"No, it's not that. I just mean, like dates. Maybe dinner after work tomorrow? Tell each other about our days?" She smiled playfully at him. "Make sure we don't bore each other when we're not fighting or naked."

"Yeah, cuz that's a risk." He chuckled. "Shall I pick you up at the DA's office? Or do you want to meet somewhere?"

"Work is fine. 5:30 PM?"

"I can do that." He extracted his hand from hers and stepped back toward Camille's SUV. "Just so you know...I do not put out on the first date."

She burst into laughter. "Yeah, sure you don't."

"That was the old Logan. I'm turning over a new leaf."

Before he could even react, she was back in front of him, clasping the sides of his neck with both her hands and pulling him down into a kiss. Despite anything they'd just said about time and space, all he could do was kiss her back. All too soon, she was pulling away again, but she kept her hands against his shoulders as she smiled up at him.

"Just remember that I've been in love with the old Logan for a very long time, so don't turn that leaf over too far, okay."

He grinned down at her like the stupid, lovestruck sap that he was. "I'll try to keep that in mind." She released him then, giving him a gentle push.

"Go. Before the C's start to riot."

He laughed as he walked backwards down the sidewalk, not wanting to lose sight of her yet. "Good call. That can get ugly." He glanced to his left as his peripheral vision picked up the SUV. Camille was watching him with her eyebrows raised and he knew he was going to get a stern lecture about protecting himself. He looked back at Veronica, who was still watching him with a smile on her face. For the first time, he noticed Mac, sitting on a bench near the front door of the restaurant. She was grinning, so he knew someone was going to be on their side, even if it wasn't Camille right away. He raised his hand to her and she waved back. Veronica's head swiveled that direction and when she looked back at Logan, her eyes were still rolled back as she shook her head.

"I'll see you tomorrow at 5:30 PM," he called to her, pointing at her as he said 'you'. She nodded and he stepped off the sidewalk to get into the SUV.

As he settled in, he could feel Camille's hard gaze on him. When he looked up from buckling his seatbelt, he met her eyes.

"I sure hope you know what you're doing," she said, before she backed out of the parking space and headed out of the parking lot.

He looked out the window to where Veronica still stood, watching them drive away. She looked happy, really genuinely happy, and he blew her a kiss as they passed by, which she returned. As they turned onto the street, he twisted back to face Camille.

"Don't worry, I do."


	5. This Could Be the Start

Logan frowned at the sound of tapping on his front door. He'd made a big show of putting a key to his house on Veronica's key ring three days ago... _why is she still knocking?_ She'd teased him that it had only been a week since their latest first date, but things between them had been going exactly right since they'd cleared the air and admitted how they both felt, so as far as he was concerned, it was just a matter of time before she lived here full time. Hence, the key.

The baby in his arms made a gurgling sound and he hugged her to his chest, patting her back gently as he moved to the door. "Just another minute, Char," he said in a soothing voice, then swung the front door open and chuckled at the confusion on Veronica's face.

"Hey there, Sugarpuss. I tried to call you, but you didn't pick up. I'm sorry, but our plans are looking a little different than expected for the night." He took a step back and gestured her inside with his free hand. "Come on in. There're some people here dying to see you."

"Logan." Veronica rested her hand on his arm and although her skin was cold, he still felt warmed at her touch. "We talked about you answering the door without a shirt. And you've got a baby."

"I told you, everyone likes it when I answer the door like this." He chuckled as she rolled her eyes. "Come on, don't pretend you're not one of those people." Her cheeks colored and he laughed. "And anyway, it's not my fault this time. I had one on when _she_ got here." He shrugged the shoulder the baby was resting against, tipping his head towards her. "Then she yakked on me and I had to ditch it. I was just about to go up for a new one." He turned the baby to nestle in his crooked arm. "So, meet Charlotte."

Veronica's eyes widened as she stared at the infant, drowsy after her second round of dinner, since she'd shared the first all over his shirt. Her fingers tightened on his forearm, but he shifted enough to slide his arm in her grip, catching her hand in his. "You okay?"

"Umm..." She seemed to study the baby, her brow furrowing. "Uhh, yeah, I'm fine." She looked up at him. "Look, you've obviously got your hands full, I shouldn't bother you."

"Oh no, I tried to let you know plans were changing, but you're definitely still involved. The twins already know you're eating dinner with us. Carver set you a place next to him. I had to promise ice cream later to get him to put me on your other side." He pulled gently on her hand. "Come on. They're waiting for you."

"What do you mean?" she asked, although she followed him willingly. "They're waiting for me?"

"Uh huh. Come on. You'll see." He tugged her hand again, pulling her against him and kissing her temple. "Mmm, I missed you."

"Logan, I was here just last night." Her voice sounded exasperated, but her smile was bright.

"I know, but you didn't spend the night, and I had to wake up alone. I don't like that." He nudged the front door closed with his foot and then pivoted them into the house, Charlotte in one arm and Veronica under the other.

"I told you, I can't just move in here," she said. "It's so quick, too quick. Everyone's going to think we're rushing things."

He scoffed. "Everyone. Like I even care what anyone else thinks. All anyone who actually knows us will say is, 'OMG finally'. If they bother to say anything at all." He kissed the top of her head. "God, you smell so good."

This time, she scoffed. "Finally? How do you figure? We've actually been together for what? A week? That's not usually a time frame that qualifies as 'finally'."

"It's been ten whole days since our latest first date." He kissed her head again. "And you know that was hardly the beginning of us. We've been hopelessly, if slightly unsuccessfully, in love for years. Everyone knows it. Everyone who matters."

She sighed, but didn't pull away, instead wrapping her arm around his hips. "Too bad no one told me."

He harrumphed, but didn't comment, and she leaned her head against his chest. "Okay, yeah, my bad. That might be a little bit revisionist history."

"Don't worry about the past, Veronica. Just concentrate on our future." They stepped into the living room. "Munchkins! Our dinner guest has arrived."

Two little heads swiveled toward them and Logan felt Veronica stiffen against him.

"It's gonna be okay," he murmured in her ear and she huffed in irritation.

"I'm not afraid of four-year-olds, Logan," she hissed.

"That's good. They can smell fear." He tightened his arm around her and braced for impact as Carver launched toward them.

"Verrrr-onica," the little boy cried out. "You're here!" As Logan expected, Carver barreled into their legs, wrapping his arms around both of them.

Logan watched, amused, as Veronica looked down at the sandy head pressed against them, then back up at him. Her eyes were again wide and shocked.

"Ummm, hey, Carver. Looks like you remember me."

The smiling little face beamed up at her. "Yes! Uncle Logan said you'd be here. We're having grilled PBJs for dinner. You're sitting by me."

"Ahem." Logan cleared his throat dramatically, raising his eyebrows at Carver. The little boy grinned.

"And by Uncle Logan too."

"Don't forget it."

"We're getting ice cream."

A new voice had chimed in; Corinne stood beside them now, more restrained than her brother. She gave Veronica a surprisingly suspicious look for a four-year-old and tugged Carver back. "To eat with you. He's giving us ice cream to eat with you."

"Oh," Veronica said. She looked cautious and Logan silently questioned how much this particular four-year-old didn't frighten her. "Do you like ice cream?"

"Yeah."

"Me too." She looked up at Logan, her arm still tight around his waist. "I get ice cream too, right?"

"Would I ever stand between you and your ice cream?" Logan teased, but Corinne interrupted him.

"Only if you eat all your dinner," she said in a stern voice. "No dessert without dinner."

One side of Veronica's mouth twisted and she raised an eyebrow. "I see I'm gonna need to introduce you to the 'dessert for dinner' concept, kid."

Carver continued to grin up at Veronica, but Corinne frowned. "Dinner first." Somehow, her eyes narrowed even more. "Do you even like grilled PBJs?"

"Well, I guess I don't know. I've never heard of them before," Veronica confessed and Logan bit his lip, trying not to laugh at the look of disdain his niece gave then.

"Told'ja, Carver," she said, but her brother was undeterred. He pulled free of Corinne's grasp and snaked Veronica's hand away from Logan's.

"You're gonna love 'em," he said as he pulled Veronica toward the kitchen. "You're so pretty," he added, grinning up at her, and Logan caught Corinne's hand and followed. "Pretty like Mommy, right, 'Rinne?"

"Mommy's prettier," the little girl answered and Logan had to cover his shocked laugh with a coughing fit.

"Your Mommy is very pretty," Veronica said, looking over her shoulder, with a smile for Corinne, but an eyebrow quirk for Logan. He could see her thought shooting at him. _I'm gonna get you for this, Echolls._ He bit the inside of his cheek to hold back another laugh attack.

"Your Mommy and Veronica are the prettiest ladies I've ever seen," Logan said diplomatically and he heard Veronica's tiny snort.

"You sit here, Verrrr-onica," Carver said. "We're helping Uncle Logan with the sammiches. But you're company, so you sit."

Logan bounced the baby lightly, noting her drooping eyelids with satisfaction, then watched Veronica sit where Carver directed at the small dining table. "I could probably help," she said. "With the 'sammiches', I mean." She looked back at Carver and smiled. "I can cook pretty good. Probably not as good as Uncle Logan here—"

"I'm gonna put Charlotte down, and get a shirt, then I'll be right back," Logan interrupted. "Nobody touch the stove." He looked sternly at Carver, then at Corinne, then he noticed Veronica, making her most innocent face, hand raised like she was swearing an oath.

"I promise."

"Better not," he teased and headed up to his bedroom. A few minutes later, he hurried back downstairs in a new, clean henley, without the baby, who was snoozing before he even laid her in the portacrib. He found Veronica right where he'd left her, Carver sitting beside her, chattering about school, and Corinne watching them.

"Okay, kidlings, time to cook." Logan reached for Corinne and she climbed into the crook of his arm, then he leaned to the side, lifting Carver from his chair and tucking him under his arm. He caught Veronica's eye as he straightened. "This'll be pretty quick. Everything's ready to go; we've just gotta butter the outside of the sandwiches and then they're ready for grilling."

"Oh, like grilled cheese, not out on the grill." Veronica nodded. "That does sound good. Can't I help?"

"Nope," Logan answered. "We got this. Right, guys?"

"Right," they chorused in unison and Logan headed around the island cabinets and into the main kitchen area.

"I get to butter Verrr-onica's sammich," Carver called out as Logan set him on a chair pulled against the island. His sister just rolled her eyes as Logan put her on a chair of her own.

"Whatever," she said in a dismissive voice that seemed far older than her years. She took a sandwich and began to butter it generously. Veronica looked questioningly at Logan, but the smile she'd had on her face didn't falter.

"Thank you, Carver, I'm sure it will be delicious."

Logan smiled back at her for a moment—she was trying to interact and he knew little kids were out of her comfort zone. That was one reason he hadn't told her about Charlie and his family as soon as they started seeing each other again. _What a huge fuckin' mistake that turned out to be._ His bigger issue now was his older niece, whom he looked at with some consternation. "Corinne, you need to—" Before he could deliver any lectures on how to treat guests, he was interrupted by a squawking noise from the baby monitor on the counter. "Oh man, I thought she was down." He glanced at Veronica again. "Any chance you'll go get her?"

He burst into laughter at her horrified stare. "And do what with her?" she asked.

"Umm, wasn't suggesting anything too difficult. Check on her, maybe pick her up, rock her a little?" He laughed again as Veronica's head began to shake rapidly back and forth. Another squawk came from the monitor.

"No, no, you go. I'm okay here. I'll butter your sandwich. Keep the kids from touching the stove." She stood and moved beside Carver. "Okay, guys?"

Carver nodded excitedly. Corinne looked less thrilled. "I'm going with Uncle Logan," she announced, and dropped her sandwich on the counter. Logan huffed a little as he watched the buttered side hit the counter.

"Corinne," he began, then the sound through the monitor became full-on crying. "All right, come on then." He kissed the top of Veronica's head and started for the stairs, Corinne right behind him.

* * *

Veronica blinked slowly as she watched Logan heading for the stairs, his small companion looking back at her with irritation.

"Huh."

The twin who did like her waved his arm at her. "Come on, Verrr-onica, let's butter."

She smiled at him. Carver's exuberance more than made up for Corinne's cold shoulder. She stood and moved to join him at the counter. "Okay, Carver, let's butter." She picked up Corinne's sandwich, smoothed the butter on the side that had landed on the counter, and balanced it between her fingers so she could butter the other side. "Do you think she'll mind if I'm the one who butters this for her?"

Carver considered with a frown, then shrugged. "Tell her I did it." Veronica laughed and finished buttering, then moved over to the electric griddle. The baby's crying through the monitor stopped and she could hear Logan's low murmur, presumably soothing her.

"Careful, Verr-onica," Carver warned as she put the first sandwich on the hot surface, eliciting a hiss and a sizzle.

"I'm being careful, thanks, buddy." She looked over at him, trying to butter the other side of his sandwich but mostly getting himself all greasy. "Can I maybe help you with that?" She turned back to where he was working and took his sandwich, holding it by the crusts. "This side looks great." She flipped the sandwich over. "Maybe even this side out just a little."

"Ooh, 'kay." He pushed the butter around with his knife and Veronica smiled at him and nodded.

"I think this one's good to go. I'll get it on the heat and we'll work together on the rest."

She'd put the second sandwich on the grill, checked the first, and was holding the third so Carver could spread the butter when another voice came through the monitor.

"But I don't!" Corinne's voice rang through the speaker, her indignation clear. Logan's words were also discernible for the first time.

"Corinne Amelia Stone! You will remember your manners, whether you..."

Veronica's breath caught as his voice trailed away, leaving only the murmur again. Carver's laugh broke through Veronica's distress over what she'd just heard.

"Rinne's in troouu-bllle." He grinned at Veronica. "Uncle Logan almost never uses all of our names."

She sighed and twisted the sandwich. "Think this one's looking good. Let me get it on the griddle and check the others." She placed the sandwich and grabbed a spatula. "Sandwich number one looks pretty done." She held it up enough for Carver to peek at the underside and he nodded.

"Perfect!"

"Okay, since they're still upstairs, why don't you go ahead and have this one so it doesn't get cold." She lifted the sandwich off the heat and placed it on a plate, before turning to Carver. "Hop down, bud, and take a seat at the table."

"It needs to cool off a little." He jumped off the chair and pivoted back to her. "This one's Corinne's." He took the plate and trotted over to the table.

Veronica shrugged. Somehow, she had her doubts about Corinne being down any time soon, based on what had come through the baby monitor. Corinne obviously didn't like her, although she didn't know why, and if she was getting in trouble as a result, it seemed unlikely that the little girl was suddenly going to change her mind. Veronica had been concerned about Camille not liking her, but she'd never considered that a pre-schooler would feel like that too. She sighed as she flipped the other sandwiches, then turned to Carver again.

"Okay, let's get this last one buttered and we'll be done."

He clambered back onto the chair and began to butter the last sandwich. Veronica picked it up and held it for him.

"Don't worry," he said in a sure voice. "She'll come around."

Startled, Veronica nearly lost her hold on the bread crust. She wanted to grill Carver for what he knew about Corinne's animosity, but somehow interrogating a pre-schooler seemed...inappropriate.

"I hope so," she finally said, as he put the finishing touches on the sandwich with a flourish. "Okay, this one's good; can you hold it by the edges for a minute, while I get this other one off the heat. Don't want it to burn."

Carver held the final sandwich obligingly, while she flipped one sandwich off the grill onto a plate that she place on the table. "Can I put this one on the grill?" he asked when she turned back to take it from him.

Veronica cocked her head, giving him a serious look. "Would Uncle Logan let you do that?"

Carver furrowed his forehead and frowned. "Errr, maybe?"

"Hmm. That doesn't sound super certain." She looked at the grill, then back at Carver. "How about this." She reached for the sandwich, pinching one side with her thumb and forefinger. "You got the other side, right?"

"Yup," he answered eagerly, imitating her hand position.

"Okay, then let's try this." She wrapped her free arm around his back. "How's your spider monkey imitation?"

The little boy grinned, and between her lift and his scramble, he climbed into her grasp, using his legs and his free arm to cling onto her. She hitched him up to get her arm under him and then stood for a moment, making sure she had him securely, the sandwich still clutched between them.

"Okay, we're going to do this together. Not too close to that grill, you got me? Last thing we need is a trip to the E.R., okay?"

Carver nodded his agreement. "You too," he said and she smiled at him.

"I will, buddy." She shuffled closer to the grill, covering Carver's leg with her hand to make sure that if they bumped anything, it would be against her rather than Carver. Square in front of the heat, she stopped and gave Carver a serious look. "You're gonna do just what I say, right?"

"Uh huh."

"Okay, then, here we go." She slowly moved her hand holding the sandwich over the grill, Carver's hand moving with her. When the sandwich was over the open space, she ducked her head a little to catch his eye. "When I say drop, you let go. Got it?"

"Got it," he answered, in a firm but chirpy voice that made Veronica grin.

"All right, ready, set, drop."

The sandwich plopped onto the grill, a little crooked, but Carver cheered, raising little fists victoriously. Veronica laughed, and matched his gesture with her free hand.

"Excellent work, bud. We should go on Iron Chef." She set him back on his feet on the chair and reached for the spatula. "Gonna flip number three, and then I think you should go ahead and eat. The one on the table has cooled enough, I think."

"But it's Corinne's," he protested as she put the ungrilled side of the sandwich down, then Logan's voice broke in.

"Then Corinne can eat it." Veronica looked up to see him putting Corinne into her chair at the table. "Veronica, you get the other one that's off, and Carver and I will finish up the last two." He pulled the chair out that Veronica had been sitting in earlier. "M'lady?"

She chuckled, and lifted the edge of the sandwich, peeking underneath. "This one's close," she said, before laying the spatula on the spoon rest and moving to the table again. She smiled up at Logan, stretching for a quick kiss, then slipping into the chair. He pushed her into place and kissed the top of her head, but when he lingered, Carver interrupted.

"Uncle Logan, come on. We don't want it to burn."

"Pretty sure it's fine, buddy, but if it burns, it can be mine." He kissed Veronica again, then Corinne, then moved back to the stove. Veronica followed his path back to the stove, then glanced back at Corinne, startled to find the little girl studying her. She smiled at her nervously and Corinne leaned forward, her hands resting on the table, fingers laced together, looking uncomfortably like Keith Mars in search of something hidden.

"Uncle Logan likes you."

Veronica's eyes shot back to Logan, whose shoulders were shaking. With laughter, she presumed, as she turned back to Corinne.

"Umm, yeah, he seems to. I like him, so I hope so." She could see Logan nodding vigorously out of the corner of her eye.

"He does. He told me." Corinne picked up her sandwich and took a large bite. Veronica did the same, her eyes widening at the warm, greasy sweetness.

"Hey, this is good," she said around the mouthful.

"See? Told'ja so," Carver crowed as he hopped off the chair at the counter, then moved across the room to climb into his space at the table between Veronica and Corinne. Logan followed him, depositing his plated sandwich in front of him. Corinne nodded in agreement, but didn't answer; her lessons on not talking with her mouth full were apparently more recent than Veronica's.

Veronica took another bite as Logan went back to the stove and returned with his own plate, settling into the remaining chair. "This is pretty darn close to dessert for dinner without even needing ice cream," she said with a smile.

"We're glad you like the House Special," he said, grinning back at her. "It's a local favorite."

"So V'ronica," Corinne broke in, "Uncle Logan says you didn't try to kill him."

She froze, mid-bite, not sure if her ears had actually heard what her brain had. Logan gave a loud snort, then raised his hand to his face, pinching the bridge of his nose between his fingers as he shook his head. From his reaction, she was pretty sure she had heard Corinne correctly.

"No," she finally said, "I think I'd remember that."

Logan reached over and squeezed her arm gently, then settled back in his chair and raised his sandwich to his mouth.

"Mama said you tried to kill him, but Uncle Logan said that wasn't right; it was a mis—" She paused and frowned.

"Misunderstanding," Logan interjected, his voice muffled by his sandwich.

"Mister-standing?"

"Mis-under-standing," Veronica said, enunciating the syllables deliberately. _Okay,_ t _his oughta be good._

"Mis-under-standing." Corinne nodded. "Yeah, that." She took another bite of sandwich, to Veronica's chagrin since the kid refused to talk with her mouth full, but Logan took pity on her.

"Corinne apparently overheard a conversation between her mother and I, and misunderstood some of it."

The little girl nodded. "Uncle Logan said you didn't rip his heart out. I saw that on Indy—"

"Indiana Jones and the Temple of Doom," Logan interrupted. "My fault. Shouldn't have let them watch that."

"—but he says you didn't do that."

Veronica looked down at her sandwich, suddenly feeling sick. She pretty much had ripped his heart out, stomped on it, and run away without looking back. Camille was right, and so was Corinne, in not wanting her to have another chance to do it again. She glanced back up at Logan, ready to make her apologies and clear out, but he was frowning at her and shaking his head.

"Don't even think about it."

She looked away, not wanting to see the hurt on his face, but instead, she saw Carver, with a furrowed brow so much like Logan's, and then Corinne, who had been starting to thaw, but was now frowning again. She knew she was doing the same thing as always, but to all three of them this time. She opened her mouth, not even sure what was going to come out, when another squawk came from the baby monitor, and she leapt to her feet.

"I'll check on her." She bolted out of the kitchen, practically running for the stairs to Logan's bedroom. At least the baby wouldn't look at her like she was a traitor. Of course, she probably had a diaper that needed changing, and Veronica had no idea what to do about that, but she didn't actually care at the moment. She just needed to get away and talk herself off the cliff.

She paused at the top of the stairs, glancing back toward the kitchen. No one was chasing her. She wondered for a moment if that was good or bad. When she'd run away from Neptune six years ago, Logan hadn't chased her then, and she'd been both relieved and aggravated by that. Now, she considered what him letting her go again would feel like. It was easier when he let her go without a fight, but she wasn't sure anymore that she wanted to get away. _Why is this always so damn hard?_

There was another babble from behind Logan's door, and she turned the knob and stepped inside. It looked the same as it had the night before, except for a turquoise playpen set up at the end of his bed. She took a step closer, spotting the baby through the webbing that made up the side, laying on her back, legs kicking in the air.

"Guh!" The forceful exclamation was followed by what Veronica could only call a gurgling stream of consciousness. It drew her closer, til she could peer down at the baby, who lifted her arms and grinned. It was a toothless and somehow contagious look; Veronica couldn't help the smile that pulled across her face.

"Guh buh!" Both Charlotte's arms and legs were waving at her now, and Veronica shook her head.

"I don't think this is a very good idea, kid. I'll totally drop you. I have zero baby experience. Well, not zero. There was that plastic kid. And I held baby Lilly a couple of times. But I'm not kidding, you're so much safer in your pen."

Charlotte cocked her head and gabbled out some more of the caveman she seemed to speak, arms still outstretched.

"Seriously, this is a huge mistake." Veronica moved closer, resting her hands on the railing. Charlotte did not seem to agree, emphasizing her desire to be picked up with a squeal that Veronica could only characterize as ear-splitting.

"Okay, but when you've got head trauma, don't try telling anyone this was my idea."

She reached in and grasped the baby under her arms, lifting her out of the playpen. "You're heavier than you look, kid. Aren't babies like seven pounds or something?" She held her at arm's length. "Now what?"

Charlotte squirmed and kicked, making the gurgling sound again. Veronica pulled her closer, trying to remember how Logan had been holding the baby when she arrived. "Is this right?" She held her against her chest, wrapping both arms securely around the tiny body. "Don't do anything crazy." She looked around the room, then moved to the chair near the window. "Seems safer if we sit. Not as far to drop you."

She was about to sit when she remembered the baby monitor. The last thing she wanted to do was made an idiot of herself chatting up an infant while Logan and the kids listened in. She'd barely heard him when he was up here earlier; the only sounds that made it through were the baby's cries and when it sounded like Logan and Corinne threw down over Veronica. She shook her head at the image that thought put in her head, Logan and the four-year-old facing off about ripped out hearts, then spotted the monitor, on the bed right next to the playpen. "That should be far enough away to keep this a private conversation, right?" she mumbled to the baby, who reached for her hair.

"Hey!" She turned back to the chair and sat, then carefully unwrapped one arm from around the baby so she could extricate her hair from the tiny fist. "I thought we were friends." She and Charlotte sat face-to-face, looking at each other for a few moments, then she gently re-positioned the baby to cradle her in one crooked arm. "Maybe this will keep you from yanking my hair out. Does this work for you? I vaguely remember the robot baby liked this position, but it was part Kane, so who knows what it actually liked. Probably world domination and drinking the blood of its enemies."

The baby gurgled at her and she nodded. "Yeah, you're right, it probably did get that second thing from its Mars' side. I wouldn't turn down the world domination part either, but I don't have the resources to really pull it off." She stroked the baby's cheek, and Charlotte made a babbling sound and reached out to grab her finger

"Yes, you heard me, a robot baby. Some crazy school assignment. Strangely enough, that was about the time I learned my robot baby had a real life half sister on the way." She frowned, her eyes squinting as she thought hard. "You know, that was the same time I found out who your Aunt Trina's bio mom and dad were too. Crazy, huh? Got the principal fired for that. High school was super weird. Your Uncle Logan would probably say the same thing. Hopefully, by the time you get to Neptune High, it won't be such a dramatic place. I mean really, bus bombs and biker gangs and prom babies? That's just nuts."

She shook her finger gently, and Charlotte responded by grabbing it with her other hand as well, her little fingers wrapping tightly around Veronica's. "You know, you're surprisingly easy to talk to. I've never had an infant confidant before, but I'm guessing it's like having a dog. You talk, the dog listens, no one else is the wiser." She leaned down and dropped a quick kiss on the baby's head. "You're keeping my secrets, right, kid? No running downstairs to stir your sister up again. I think she was on the verge of liking me, only she freaked me out with the thing about me ripping Uncle Logan's heart out and I just had to get away for a minute. That's how you ended up with me instead of Uncle Logan."

Veronica looked up, letting her gaze wander around the room. "I know I should have just been cool about it, laughed it off like Logan did, but the thing is, she was right. I have done that. And I've been so judgmental since I came back, accusing him of stuff that he hadn't done, just like always."

She pulled her hand free so she could use that arm to help support the baby. "You're a little bit heavy, you know? I guess I'm just not used to this. But it's okay." She shifted Charlotte closer and her tiny hand reached up to Veronica's face. "You're all right, kid."

The baby's fingertips brushed Veronica's lips and she kissed them, then lowered her head to chase the fingers, making kissing sounds. Charlotte laughed at her and patted Veronica's mouth, and she couldn't help but kiss the tiny fingers again.

"You should be careful, little one. Most people would tell you that putting anything that close to my mouth is asking to get it eaten." She made nom-nom-nom-nom noises at the baby and was rewarded with more laughter, but a whispering 'snick' at the door startled her into stillness.

"Well you two seem to be getting along," Logan said from the doorway. He was smiling as he crossed the room and dropped onto his knees in front of the chair. "Hey, there, little miss," he murmured to the baby, brushing a kiss on her forehead. He then looked up at Veronica.

"Hey to you, too, slightly larger miss." He kissed her forehead, then her cheek, then her mouth. Her hands full of baby, she couldn't pull him closer, so instead she parted her lips and tried to deepen the kiss that way instead. Her tactic worked, and Logan's arms came up to circle her as they kissed with the baby pressed between them.

"You know," he said when they broke apart, foreheads still rocked together. "I was a little afraid of what I was going to find up here, but instead I find a sight that about makes my ovaries explode—"

"What?" she sputtered, laughing. "Did you go to any of your health classes? That is not how things work."

"Hey, anyone who knows us knows that I'm the girl in this relationship. It's a reasonable statement." She snorted and shook her head, leaning back in the chair. "Anyway, as I was saying, I come in to see you looking all adorable with the baby, and then you try to suck my tongue out of my mouth. This night is made of win."

She huffed a laugh and rolled her eyes. "What'd you think you might find?"

"I don't know." He settled into a seated position next to the chair, one arm snaked around behind her and the other stretched around her arm cradling the baby. "You looked upset when you came up here. I wanted to make sure you were okay, I did kinda think you might be holding Charlotte though; they're pretty easy to confess all your deepest, darkest thoughts to when they're little and cuddly like this."

She nodded. "That bit about tearing out your heart was hard to hear."

"You know that was a metaphor, and Corinne just didn't understand what Camille was saying. I am going to talk to her though. She can't say stuff like that."

"But she was right. And you know it. You said it yourself, the night I stormed in here because I saw you with Camille and jumped to the worst conclusion, without even trying to find out what was really happening." She reached forward to cup his cheek in her hand and he nuzzled against her. "You said only with me do you risk getting your heart torn out on a daily basis. Do you remember?"

He sighed and nodded, still looking up at her as he pressed his face into her hand, "I remember that. But that's not as bad as you're making it seem. The most important part of that statement was 'only with you'." He turned his head enough to kiss her palm. "Only with you do I care that much. Only with you does my life look complete. Only with you am I truly happy."

"How are you so sure?"

"Are you telling me that you think there's someone else out there who you want to wake up next to every day?" He raised his eyebrows, and she felt pinned in place by his steady gaze. "Someone else you want to come home to every night? You've been around a bit in the last six years. Is there anyone else you've met who you can't see yourself living without?" He kissed her palm again. "Veronica?"

"No."

"Then stop torturing us both and let the past stay in the past. Can you do that for me? For us?"

She squeezed her eyes tightly closed, needing a break from his hopeful eyes. She wanted to believe like he did. She really did, but would she be able to let the past stay in the past? Just trust in the future? Trust wasn't her strong suit; they both knew that. But he was right. There had never been anyone else she'd ever met who she missed every day they weren't there. _Not like Logan._

"You have to know I'm still going to torture us sometimes, right? I think it's just in my nature."

He laughed softly. "I know, but it's okay. I might have a little bit of that tendency myself. I kinda think it's why we're so perfect together. We both enjoy a little torture once in a while."

"You make it sound like there's a ball gag and handcuffs in my future."

He barked out a laugh, then ducked his head against her leg when the baby jerked violently and they both realized that she'd gone to sleep cuddled between them. Logan pushed himself back to his knees and gathered Charlotte from Veronica's arms, then stood and placed her back in the porta-crib. He then returned to the chair and pulled Veronica up into his arms.

"I don't think a ball gag. I like your mouth more available." He leaned down and kissed her. "Mmm, see?"

"I don't hear you denying the handcuffs."

"Yeah, that might be worth looking into." He turned them to the door and pushed her toward it, speaking quietly. "Come on. We've got some people downstairs waiting very patiently for me to bring you back so we can have ice cream. And after that, I don't think I had a chance to mention this before, but we're having a sleepover tonight. Charlie made it home today and Camille conned me into watching the kids so they can spend a little time alone."

" _We're_ having a sleepover?"

"Yeah, dinner, ice cream, a movie, and then everyone crashes up here. The twins have this pop-up tent thing; the kids love to set it up on the bed and pretend we're camping, only no hard ground and it's a lot warmer than sleeping outside."

"Me too?" They started down the stairs and she could see the twins, Corinne on the couch with a book in her lap and Carver on the floor next to her, pushing a toy car in a circle.

"Yes, of course you too." The twins looked up at the sound of his voice and Carver jumped up and ran toward them.

"Verrr-onica!" He met them partway up the stairs, hurling his arms around her legs.

"Hey, bud, careful. I'd rather if you didn't knock her down the stairs."

Veronica sank down into a seated position on the stairs, letting Carver wrap himself around her as she put her arms around him. "Sorry for the delay, kiddo. Is it time for ice cream?"

"Yes! Then a movie!"

Corinne was suddenly there too. "You get to pick the movie," she said, leaning into them, and Veronica stretched one arm out and the little girl snuggled into her as well.

"Okay, as long as you guys help me, okay? I'm not sure what movies you might like."

"Sid!" yelled Carver, at the same time Corinne cried, "Merida!" At Veronica's perplexed look, Logan laughed, and bounded down the stairs to a shelf loaded with DVDs.

"For the non-little kid crowd, that would be Brave and..." He held up two boxes with a flourish.

"Ice Age?" Veronica said, confused. "Didn't that movie come out about the time we hit high school?"

"Nope, this is Ice Age: Continental Drift. They're still pumping these suckers out."

She laughed and stretched forward, peering at the boxes. "What's the other one?"

"The one for you. Kicka...aahhhh—tough girl who does what she wants, even when her dad tells her not to."

"Oh yeah, you're right, that does sound like the one for me." She grinned at Corinne. "You too, right?"

"Yep, and she rides a big horse, and she shoots a bow and arrow, and her mom and little brothers turn into bears!"

"Spoilers," Logan said wryly. "Okay, Brave's up first, but right now, I think it's ice cream time. Then we'll set up the tent and get this viewing party started."

Carver stood and grabbed Veronica's hand. "Sid after Merida." He pulled her up and Corinne came too, firmly attached to Veronica's other hand, as they hurried her down the stairs. "But ice cream first."


	6. Home is where

"Come on, what's the problem?"

Logan tugged on the hand clasped tightly in his once more, but when she didn't budge, he turned back to face Veronica where she'd stopped climbing the stairs to the Stones' front door. He grinned down at her as he stepped back to the riser she seemed to be stuck on.

"This is not the normal behavior of my badass girlfriend. Afraid to face a couple of pre-schoolers? Come on."

She glared up at him. "You know the twins aren't my issue."

Logan tucked her hair behind her ear and kissed her nose. "I know. They adore you almost as much as I do." He pressed his lips to her forehead. "Stop worrying about Camille. I'm telling you, it's gonna be fine between the two of you. She gets how I feel about you and she's not going to do anything bad. I promise."

"All she did was make cutting remarks when you brought me here last time."

"Uh huh." He moved from her forehead to the crown of her head, alternating between dropping kisses and inhaling the scent of her hair. "That's not exactly the way I remember it, and are you saying you're the only one who gets to do that?"

"No, of course not. She just doesn't think I'm good for you."

"Neither does Dick, and that's never given you a moment's pause." He snuggled her close. "And you know that Wallace has reservations about me, but I didn't try to get out of going to dinner with him last week."

"He just needs to spend time with you. He's warming up."

"And the exact thing is true with Camille. Charlie likes you, the kids love you, it's gonna be fine with Camille, I promise." She pressed her face into his chest and he stroked her back soothingly. "Veronica? What's going on?"

She looked up and he was shocked to find her eyes were shiny with unshed tears. "I just know she's important to you, and it would be so much easier if she would just like me."

Logan burst into laughter, but cradled the back of her head against him. "I absolutely know what you mean there. Story of my life. But here's the thing..." He pulled away again, bending his knees to get closer to eye-to-eye with her. "You're a thousand times more important to me than anyone else."

"You shouldn't have to choose."

"I'm not gonna have to. She's getting on board; she's just a little stubborn. Like someone else I know and love." She gave him a weak smile and he chuckled, shaking his head. "All right, come on. We're going in and I'll run any interference that's needed. Just settle down. It's gonna be a great night."

"Okay." She straightened, drawing in a deep breath. "I'm not used to this. Caring what someone else thinks? Not really my style."

"Hmm, maybe, maybe not." He dropped another kiss on the top of her head. "Now come on. Let's get in there before the kids decide you're not coming at all and start to riot." She gave a disbelieving huff and he shrugged. "Okay, Corinne likes you now, but I don't see her rioting, but Carver?"

"He's probably already worked out the table seating so he gets to sit next to me." Her face brightened. "I can see that."

"Okay then, move it, Mars." Logan turned toward the door and led her up the walk. Reaching the front door, he rapped out the start of 'shave and a haircut', grinning when from the other side he heard the pounding of running feet and giggling, then an answering double knock of 'two bits'. Immediately after the knocks, the door flung open and Carver barreled out.

"Verrr-onica!" he cried, throwing his arms around her legs. Logan watched her give the little boy a hug before his attention was caught by Charlie, moving at a much more restrained gait, as he stepped into the doorway.

"Remember when he actually used to greet you, little brother?" He chuckled. "Now you're nothing but a conduit to Veronica." He gave Logan's shoulder a friendly squeeze, but kept his focus on the scene beyond them, a smile on his face. "Hey, Veronica."

"Hi, Charlie," she said in a quiet voice. To Logan, she looked almost shy. "Thanks for inviting me tonight."

"Oh, you don't need an invitation. Family's always welcome."

Logan froze at her sharp intake of breath, but relaxed as her face softened back into a smile. "Thank you. That means a lot," she said to Charlie and Logan nodded.

"It does; thanks, bro."

"Verrr-onica, come on, you gotta see my art. I drew you a picture." Carver grabbed her hand and began to pull her through the door.

"Can you at least tell your uncle hello?" Charlie said as they pushed past him and Carver paused, looking back over his shoulder.

"Hey, Unca Logan. Thanks for bringing Verrr-onica." He turned back into the house and dragged Veronica inside, as she smirked over her shoulder at Logan.

"Okay, then, I know my place." Logan stepped into the house, shaking his head at his brother. "You know, I've never heard him say her name with a normal amount of R's."

"Now that you mention it, me neither." Charlie closed the door. "Hey, everything's pretty much ready, so now that you guys are here, I'm gonna throw the meat on the grill. You might as well come on out and have a beer with me while I slave over dinner. It's not like you're getting your girlfriend back anytime soon."

Logan glanced into the family room as they walked past, smiling with satisfaction at the sight of Veronica pressed between the twins as they held up brightly colored papers for her inspection. "I think you're probably right."

* * *

"Charlie, that tri-tip was amazing. I hope you were giving Logan lessons." Veronica smiled broadly at Charlie, then elbowed Logan gently in the side before turning to Camille. "And Camille, those potatoes were great too. I've never had them like that before. What were they called again? Parmesan..."

"Hasselback," Camille answered. She smiled back at Veronica, but Logan thought it looked a little forced. "They're not hard; it's just an internet recipe." She rose from her seat and picked up a stack of empty dishes. "I'll get these out of the way."

"I'll have to look that up; they were delish." Veronica's head swiveled to follow Camille's path into the house, then swung back to look at Logan. "I'll try them out on my dad."

"And me," Logan said, draping his arm over her shoulders. "Or maybe you just meant you'll make them for him as our future dinner guest, since you've finally agreed to move in with me."

Charlie shook his head, his eyes rolling. "That's like the twentieth time you've worked that announcement into the conversation tonight. We get it. You've talked the poor girl into living with you. Did you rent a billboard as well?"

Veronica laughed. "Nothing so mundane. Jumbotron."

"Very funny." Logan looked down at her pointedly. "I'm excited. Sue me."

"Are you done yet?" Corinne appeared beside Veronica, a frown on her little face. "You said you'd jump with us."

"Yes, I did," Veronica agreed, rising to her feet. She turned to drop a kiss on the top of Logan's head. "If you'll all excuse me—" She glanced around the table. "—I am being summoned. Please be sure to call us when it's time for dessert."

"You got it," Charlie said with a nod and Veronica held her hand out to Corinne. The little girl took it and led Veronica away from the table and off the deck. Logan laughed as he watched them skip through the yard to the enclosed trampoline where Carver was already hopping.

"That's something I don't think I ever even imagined seeing," Logan said. "I didn't tell her about any of you right at the start because I was afraid she'd be uncomfortable with the kids."

"And we all know that wasn't your best decision ever."

Logan huffed in irritation. "Thanks for the support, bro."

"Just calling 'em like I see 'em," Charlie said, his amused tone matching his smirk. "But seems like you guys got it worked out. Since she's—oh, here's a news flash—moving in with you."

"Shut up, dude."

Charlie threw back in head, laughing, just as Camille came back to the table. "What's so funny?"

"Little brother's poor decision making skills," Charlie answered, still laughing. Logan shook his head and glanced over to the trampoline. Veronica was laying on her side with the kids jumping around her, causing her to bounce in reaction to their jumps. Sure now that they wouldn't see him, he flipped his brother off. Charlie laughed again, but Camille frowned at them both.

"How is that funny?" She shot a look at the trampoline also, then back at Charlie. "You said we shouldn't talk about—"

"Oh no, no, no," Charlie interrupted and Logan glanced between them, eyes narrowing. "I was telling him he should have told Veronica about us sooner."

"What do you want to talk about, Camille?" Logan said sharply. "My guess is that you're referring to my choice to make a life with Veronica." Charlie opened his mouth to interject but Logan held up a hand, stopping him. "I made that choice a long time ago, Camille, a long time before I met you. And yeah, it hasn't always worked out like I would have liked, but it's working now, and you need to get on board."

"I just don't want you getting hurt." She crossed her arms and glared at him. "You know you guys have a terrible track record and you don't deserve how she treats you."

"That was a long time ago and we both made plenty of mistakes, but it's different now."

"But for how long?"

"Camille, this isn't our business—"

"Yes, it is if we have to put him back together after she dumps him again." Camille looked angrily at Charlie. "You've heard Dick talk about how it goes when Hurricane Veronica sweeps through and upends his life. I just don't want that for him again and you shouldn't either."

"You really need to get a slightly less biased source," Logan interjected. "Dick's not exactly objective where Veronica's concerned."

"Because he knows she's bad for you—"

"Because she derailed his father's very lucrative but unfortunately criminal enterprise and because she expects him to behave like more than an arrogant frat boy." Logan shook his head. "Yes, he takes my side whenever we have conflict, but a lot of the time those conflicts have been of my making, and he refuses to acknowledge that."

"I think the message here is try to put more rational thought into your arguments than Dick does," Charlie said and Logan laughed.

"Not a bad suggestion." He reached across the table for Camille's hand. She glared but cooperated.

"Look, I've been a complete and utter jerk to Veronica at times, and I can't blame her if those times have made her hesitant about us, and you shouldn't blame her either. We're both working to prove ourselves every day, and your disapproval is getting in the way. I need you to keep an open mind and welcome her in. I need that from you much more than the over-protective Mama Bear thing. Okay?"

Camille looked away, eyes to the sky, jaw clenched. "All right, fine," she muttered.

"Thank you," Logan said, squeezing her fingers. "Despite what you think, I am a grown man and I know what, and who, I want. I promise it's gonna be okay."

"And if he's wrong, he also promises not to whine to you," Charlie teased and both Logan and Camille laughed, although Camille's sounded somewhat begrudging. Logan stood and leaned across the table, kissing the top of her head.

"Yes, I do. Thank you guys." Logan stepped away from the table. "And now, I'm going to go let them bounce me on the trampoline. That looks fun."

"No making out in front of the kids," Charlie warned.

"I wasn't really thinking about that, but now you've piqued my curiosity with the thought of sneaking Veronica in here when you guys are away. That bouncy kickback seems intriguing."

"Do not defile my children's playthings," Camille said in a stern voice.

Logan huffed and stuck his tongue out at her. "Fine." He took a few steps away, then turned back. "Gonna make me buy my own, I guess."

He closed the distance to the trampoline with Charlie's laughter in his ears. "Hey guys, gonna let me bounce?"

"Unca Logan!" Both kids' voices rang with excitement and Carver hopped to the side to unfasten the opening in the net guard. Veronica twisted into a seated position, grinning at him.

"Make him bounce all of us," she suggested playfully, grabbing Corinne's hand and pulling her into her lap. Carver abandoned the net to squish himself in beside his sister.

"Bounce us, bounce us," all three chanted and Logan clambered up.

"Okay, hang on tight," he warned as he bent his knees to jump.

* * *

Logan yawned and stretched as Veronica raised her head and looked around. After the trampoline and dessert, they'd piled onto the couch in the family room to watch Wreck-It Ralph and Veronica had been the first one to nod off. By now, both of the twins were also asleep, curled up on top of both he and Veronica. He'd kinda lost sensation in the arm that Carver was sprawled over, but he'd been enjoying the happy pile of love too much to worry about it.

"Hey, Sleeping Beauty," he whispered, kissing Veronica's temple, "you about ready to crawl out from under this mess o' kids and go home?"

She sighed and blinked several long, slow blinks, then smiled. "It's still only your home."

"You stayed over last night and you already said you're spending the night tonight. Moving your boxes over from your Dad's is a technicality. Stop being deliberately difficult."

She huffed in amusement, still smiling. "Okay, fine. We'll go home."

"Huh." He snaked his arm out from under Carver. "I'm not sure you're awake if you're this agreeable."

"I agree with you and that's how you respond." She raised one eyebrow. "That's just rude."

"Yeah it was, but I'm starting to realize that just how you guys talk to each other," Charlie interjected with a grin. He stepped around the couch and lifted Corinne off of them. "I've got this one; can you carry Carver up, Lo?"

"I guess," Logan said begrudgingly. "Then you ready to go?" he directed to Veronica.

"Yeah, if we're gonna sleep, might as well do it at _home_." She rolled her eyes and he gave her a smacking kiss on the cheek.

"Excellent." Logan shifted out from under Carver, then turned back to pick him up. The little boy grumbled, then opened his eyes.

"What happened?" he said blearily.

"Ralph saved the day," Veronica answered and Logan scoffed.

"You were as asleep as he was."

"Did Ralph not save the day?" she asked primly and he shrugged.

"Yeah, actually, he did. It was pretty awesome; you need to stay awake for it sometime." He turned to follow Charlie to the twins' room, but Carver protested.

"Need kiss Verrr-onica g'night."

She stood and moved to them, rising on her toes to kiss Carver's cheek. "Sweet dreams, lil dude. We'll see you soon, 'kay?"

Carver twisted to kiss her back as Logan stood, soaking in her words. He knew that her referring to them as 'we' shouldn't thrill him like it did, but he couldn't help himself.

"All right, bud, come on, let's go. And you're awake now, so you're brushing your teeth before you get in bed." Logan smiled softly at Veronica. "I'll be a few minutes and then we'll go."

"Sounds good," she replied and turned back toward the couch, reaching for the blanket they'd been using.

It was closer to fifteen minutes before he was done singing rounds of 'Twinkle Twinkle Little Star" while Carver and Corinne brushed their teeth. He then had to tuck them both in even though Charlie had as well, and give about a dozen kisses.

"You're gonna be an expert at this dad thing once you guys start having kids," Charlie said on their way back downstairs.

"I hope so, but don't jinx us talking about it, man," Logan replied. "I don't want you freaking Veronica out."

"I don't think you give her enough credit," Charlie said. "I know it's a new idea, but when the time comes I think she's gonna be on board. She's really great with the kids. Even Charlotte goes to her without a fuss, and she can be choosy about who she likes."

Logan chuckled. "She's decided babies are the best people to talk things out with. Second only to dogs." Charlie snorted a laugh. "Maybe don't repeat that to Camille."

"Yeah, maybe." They entered the living room and found it empty. "Huh. Where is the girlfriend in question?"

Logan turned toward the downstairs bathroom, but the door was ajar and the lights were off. "I don't know. I figured she'd be asleep again."

"Probably in the kitchen with Cam."

"Oh, that's not good." Logan turned for the kitchen. "I told her I'd run interference for her tonight. I don't know why she'd go in there alone."

"Probably because she's an adult," Charlie said. "Let 'em talk, man. She doesn't need you Mama Bear'ing her anymore than you need Cam doing it for you."

Logan stopped and looked back at Charlie. "I don't know..."

"I do. Let them work things out. It'll be better that way, I promise." He clapped Logan on the shoulder. "Come on, big brother knows best. It'll be fine."

"Can I at least spy and break in if Veronica needs help?"

"Spy yes, break in, probably not." Charlie jerked his head toward the kitchen. "Come on, I'll show you."

* * *

Veronica folded the blanket that Logan had thrown over all of them during the movie and looked around the living room. Their partially eaten bowl of popcorn was on the coffee table with the tiny glasses they'd all used for soda. She'd learned on the first night with the twins at Logan's that liquid sugar was to be given in very limited quantities to rambunctious four-year-olds. She gathered up the remains of their movie party and carried them to the kitchen, but she jerked to a halt at the sight of Camille sitting at the kitchen table reading a magazine.

"Oh, Camille, hey. I thought you were up with Charlotte."

Camille looked up, her eyebrows raised. "I came down a while ago, but you were snoozing."

"Oh, yeah, that makes sense."

"Just put the snack stuff on the counter. I started the dishwasher already; all that stuff can wait until the morning." Camille closed the magazine. "Thanks for bringing it in. Are you guys getting ready to go?"

"Yeah, I think so. Charlie and Logan were putting the kids to bed. I just didn't want to leave a mess in there for you." She sat down across from Logan's sister-in-law. "Hey, while we've got a minute to ourselves, I've been meaning to tell you that I'm really sorry about that skanky-looking comment when I was so mad at Logan a few weeks ago. Nothing could be further from the truth. That was just...me reacting."

"Oh." Camille's lips pressed together and Veronica swallowed hard.

"But even if it was just about me being jealous again, I'm so sorry that you got dragged into it. I've got no excuse, except maybe I've still got some brunette PTSD where Logan's concerned. I really do know that woman meant nothing to him, but there was just something about her that really made me..."

"Who are you talking about?" Camille interrupted.

"Oh, no one really. This woman that Logan took up with while we were broken up senior year of high school." Veronica wrinkled her nose. "I mean, there was no reason for him not to...well, other than the fact she was older and married, but you gotta remember, he was totally on his own, and he was still struggling with everything about Lilly, and Aaron, and then getting accused of murdering Felix. It's not like I was actually being supportive back then. It's my own fault, really."

"He was messing around with a married woman?" Camille sounded scandalized and Veronica winced. She hadn't realized that she was ratting out Logan's less than stellar behavior to Camille. It was so long ago and she realized that she really shouldn't blame him for taking whatever comfort he could find back in those ugly days. She hadn't been there for him back then, and instead she'd spent way too much time practically rubbing her renewed relationship with Duncan in his face. It hadn't been intended to hurt him—she truly hadn't realized that she could even do that back then. She had just wanted to make sure he knew that he wasn't hurting her, even though that was an absolute lie. What was true was if Kendall Casablancas got him through that time, she should probably try being grateful to her, not resentful. She snickered to herself. _Yeah, that is so not happening._

"Well, I mean, yeah, but she was barely married. And ya know, really, I'm not even sure if it was valid, because she was actually a con artist who married Big Dick under someone else's name."

"Hang on. Big Dick? Dick's dad, Big Dick? Logan was messing around with Dick's stepmother?"

Veronica buried her face in her hands. _How did we get here?_

"Look, all I wanted to do was apologize." She sat up and gave Camille an embarrassed smile. "For what I said, I mean. I really didn't mean to get Logan into trouble with you."

"He said that he had as much to do with the problems you guys had as you did. I guess he was right." Camille shuddered. "Dick's step-mom?"

"Okay, yeah, I mean technically, yes, she was his step-mom, step-monster's more like it, but you've gotta realize, she was only like twenty-five back then. She was way closer to our age than Big Dick's." Veronica settled back in her chair, eyes on Camille. "It wasn't like it was Dick's actual mom."

Camille looked up at the ceiling, shaking her head, then leaned on the table, supporting her chin on her palm. "He gives you—what did you say?—brunette PTSD...and you're sitting here defending his bad behavior to me. This feels like I'm talking to Logan. He's always downplaying the negative things between you too."

Veronica frowned and looked away, worrying at the inside of her cheek as she thought about Camille's words. "Yeah, I guess we're both kinda idiots like that."

Camille barked out a surprised laugh and Veronica shrugged. "I mean...I'm well aware of all of our problems; I've spent more time that I want to admit stewing over them, deconstructing every scenario, trying to figure out what we could have done differently, and truthfully, I've also spent a lot of time trying to figure out how I could blame Logan and maybe finally stop wanting him. But no matter what I did, how I justified my own behavior, or how much I dwelt on the shitty stuff he really did do, I've never been able to change how I felt. How I feel. Even when I thought he'd stopped caring, I never could. The big, stupid jerk wormed his way into my heart a long time ago and I've never been able to shake him. Even when I broke up with him before our senior year, or when I took off for Stanford and didn't tell him, it was never because I didn't care."

"If you cared so much, why'd you work so hard to hurt him?" Camille looked disgusted as she pinned Veronica in place with her glare. "You say you always cared about him, but it sure doesn't sound like it. And I don't get why you're in here making promises now when you've never been willing to keep 'em before. He's going all in...just like always. With everything you've done, I have a hard time believing you're gonna be able to be all hearts and flowers forever. And then where's Logan? Left alone...again."

Veronica sighed and closed her eyes. There was nothing Camille was saying that was untrue, or unfair. If she were in this woman's position, she'd probably be saying the same thing to the bitch who was threatening to hurt someone she loved. Jackie Cook flashed into her mind. Yeah, she understood Camille very well.

"I really don't have any way to convince you that I mean what I say. Although if you knew me better, you'd know that the fact that I'm even talking about this is really different than how I've always been before. Admitting how I feel...admitting that I actually need him...that is not the norm for me." She huffed out a deep breath. "Can you just try to give me a chance to prove I'm serious? Prove that I'm trying to forget all the years of being sure that everyone cheats and everyone leaves, and just trust for a change? That really is what I want, I swear."

"As much as I hate it, it's really not up to me," Camille said, rolling her eyes. "Logan believes you and I've reluctantly agreed to let him run his own life."

Veronica laughed. "Isn't that the worst? I can't get Wallace to do what I say either."

"So you know what I'm talking about." For the first time in the conversation, Camille smiled. "Look, I'm not demanding that you stay with him forever. If things don't work out, then they don't work out. Just don't abandon him again. Don't get scared and find an excuse to bail on him. Give him a fair shot. Can you do that?"

"Absolutely." Veronica had no issues with those requests. "I really do want this to work out, and I know I have to try harder this time to make that happen. I hope I've matured a little bit at least over the last few years and I know I've finally figured out that I've never felt anywhere close to what I feel for Logan with anyone else. Just admitting how I feel is a huge difference for me. I really never wanted to admit anything like that before. So I am hopeful. More than I've been before."

"I guess that's all I can ask then," Camille said.

"And you may have told Logan that you're going to back off, but if you see me really start to screw up, I wouldn't mind if you let me know what you think. Logan's never had anyone but Dick stand up for him, and I'm not exactly predisposed to listen to him, but if you noticed something and told me..." She scrunched up her nose and frowned. "I might not mind hearing that from you."

"That's what you say now—"

"No, I really mean it! I mean, I hope you can be balanced, and accept that he's not exactly perfect himself..." Camille burst into laughter.

"Trust me, I know that."

"Then I think we're good." Veronica extended her hand across the table. "So we've got an understanding?"

"Sure." Camille reached forward to take Veronica's hand. "You screw up, I get to tell you. Logan screws up, I get to tell him. This is perfect for me." Both women laughed as they shook on their deal.

"I'm not sure what Logan's gonna think about this though, so we might want to keep this arrangement between us." Veronica pushed herself to her feet.

"Yeah, good idea," Camille said as she rose. "Charlie might have some thoughts on this that I don't necessarily want to hear either. So let's go see what's taking so long in the putting-to-bed routine. It's starting to get late." She moved out of the kitchen, toward the family room, with Veronica behind her, but they both stopped short at the sight of Logan jumping over the back of the couch and flopping onto the cushions as Charlie threw himself into the recliner.

"Hey, ladies, how you doing?" Charlie asked and Logan looked back at them with a casual wave. They were both exuding such an air of nonchalance that Camille and Veronica both began to laugh again.

"You buying this?" Camille asked Veronica who snorted and shook her head.

"So much for our secret deal," she said.

* * *

Logan reclined back against his pillows, his hands laced behind his head. For someone who insisted that she didn't quite live here yet, Veronica had quite the skincare regimen in his bathroom. He was, of course, no stranger to product himself, so he could hardly begrudge her, and since she didn't really look any older than she had when they were sixteen, he certainly wasn't complaining.

 _Well, maybe a little._

"Veronica, darling, love of my life, what the hell is taking you so long?"

The bathroom door opened slightly—"You're a fine one to talk, Mr. Seaweed Mask."—then slammed shut again.

"Okay, that's fair." He squirmed into a more prone position on the mattress and rolled onto his side. "But if I'm asleep when you finally get out here," he called in a louder voice, "don't wake me up."

To his surprise there was no answering retort, and he wondered if he might be playing a hand he couldn't win, but he'd barely punched his pillow into a shape for actual sleeping when the door opened again. He closed his eyes quickly as he heard her leave the bathroom and head for the bed. He resisted the urge to look at her as she pulled the sheet and comforter back, but as she slid in and pressed against him, the smooth whisper of silk against his skin broke his will.

"Oh, look, you're not asleep after all," she teased, resting her palms against his chest. He tipped his head back enough to get a look at her, in deep blue silk that matched her eyes.

"Holy shit. You keep coming to bed like this, I may never sleep again." He stroked her hip, gliding easily over the silk, down to the lace trim around the hem. "I like this," he said, running his hand up her back, then tracing the spaghetti strap up over her shoulder and down along the deep V of the neckline. "Is it new?"

"It is. My first inclination is always red satin when I look for sexy stuff like this, but I loved this color."

"Well, red-satin-you looks great in blue silk. Lilly would totally approve of the choice." He slid his hand back around her, pulling her closer. "So, since I'm still awake—"

"Since you're still awake, you can answer some questions." She looked up at him with a frown. "How long were you eavesdropping on me and Camille?"

"What? I don't know what you mean." He'd expected to be grilled in the car on the way home, but when there had been no questions, he decided maybe they'd gotten away with listening in with no repercussions after all.

"Oh, gimme a break." She gave a slight shake of her head. "You can't think I believe that."

"Okay, fine. I heard you call me a big stupid jerk. Not very nice of you."

"Not very nice of you to have been one."

He made a face, knowing she was right, but she laughed and moved a hand up to cup his cheek.

"We've both been jerks from time to time. I'm just messing with you. What else did you hear?"

He nuzzled into her hand. "Umm, well, that even if I was a big stupid jerk, you can't shake me. So that was good."

"Yeah."

"And you want to be in this for the long haul, so that was good too." He kissed her palm. "And, I heard you and Camille coming to an understanding of sorts. Which is really good."

"I've agreed to let her call me out if I start to treat you badly so I guess you can call that an understanding." She grinned up at him. "But, she gets to yell at you too, so I can live with it."

"Yeah, I heard that part too. I never agreed to that, but it's really nothing new, so I'm good too." Logan tightened his hold on her and shifted onto his back, tugging her with him. "So, is that enough of a confession for you? Can we get back to us, or do we have to keep talking about Camille?"

She snickered and crooked her elbow to lean her head on her hand. "We weren't talking about Camille exactly, we were talking about you spying on me."

"I was checking on you. I told you that I would run interference but then you go in there with her without me."

"Well, to be honest, I didn't know she was in there when I went in, but then she was there, and I figured that I really needed to apologize for the skanky thing."

Logan rocked his head back, laughing. "Oh no, did you really? What did she say?"

"Nothing really. She got distracted, because I...ummm...yeah, I guess I kinda threw you under the bus, but I didn't mean to."

He stopped laughed and frowned at her. "Hold on. What do you mean you threw me under the bus? What bus?"

She squeezed her eyes closed and wrinkled her nose, looking very apologetic. "Umm, the Kendall Casablancas bus. I had to explain why I wigged out over you hugging a brunette on the street, and I finally figured out that it was about her."

"Oh my God," he said in horror. "I am so sorry."

"Don't worry about it," she replied. "I think we're even now, I accidentally told your sister-in-law about one of your worst life choices. I didn't realize she didn't know."

"You think I go around talking about that?"

"No, I guess not." She stretched forward to kiss his chin and he scrunched down to catch her mouth with his own.

"So, we're done with the interrogation, right?" he asked after a moment.

"Uh huh." She wriggled further up his chest. "Thanks for being ready to come to my rescue."

"I was about to bust in there, but Charlie stopped me. Told me I needed to let you guys work things out."

"Huh. Seems like Charlie's a pretty smart guy." She rested her head on his shoulder. "I was nervous about talking to her, but it worked out. Now—" She nipped at his ear. "—can we stop talking about all these other people? They may be family now, but I got this slinky thing for you. Are you interested or not? A few minutes ago, you were ready to sleep."

Logan laughed as he stroked her back. "I might be able to stay awake for a little while longer. If you're willing to proposition me in my own bed—"

"Excuse me, I believe it's _our_ bed."

"Oh, is that so?" He rolled them over again, tickling and kissing as she wriggled and shrieked.

"Logan! Logan, stop!" As she flailed and kicked, he managed to roll her under him and then lay still, holding her in place beneath him, his arms braced beside her shoulders. She managed to squirm her legs out and locked them around his back.

"What exactly do you want me to stop?" he teased. He ducked down as if going for another kiss, then pulled back suddenly with a smirk. "No more kisses?"

"Don't be a jerk," she scolded and darted her head up toward him, but instead of a kiss, she bit his lip.

"Wait, you're biting and I'm the jerk?"

"Don't pretend you don't like it." She tightened her legs around his back and raised her hips to grind into him.

"Okay, I won't." He leaned down again, this time dropping a trail of kisses along her jaw as they rocked against each other. "So _our_ bed, huh?"

"You invited me, remember?"

"Oh yeah, I remember. I'm still so surprised you agreed. I've gotta keep reminding myself."

She dropped her head back against the mattress and rolled her eyes. "Our bed. Our house. Our great big bathtub. Our dishwasher too, it's not all about places to bang."

"I don't know about that, we can do it on top of the dishwasher."

"Only if _you've_ already filled it."

"Hey, who do you think has been filling it for the last two years? Making love to you on top of it is just an added bonus."

She snickered and kissed him, a quick brush at first, but when he rocked his hips against her, her lips parted and the kiss deepened.

He shifted so he wasn't covering her body completely, running his hand down the silk and then under it. The kiss broke when she gasped and then sighed at his touch.

"Mmm, Logan," she mumbled and he smiled at the contentment in her voice.

"Yes, love?"

"I think I'm going to like it here."

* * *

 _So, yeah, sorry, I'm about 12 hours later than normal. Wrapping this up has been hard. MrsKissyT gave me a prod last night that finally got me to the end, but since that was this morning, that means that KMD0107 has had no opportunity to go through and tell me I've said the same thing twice (or more), or that eyeballs are rolling and eyebrows raising a ridiculous amount. I did a search and weeded some out myself, so hopefully nothing's too redundant._

 _Anyway, we're finally done here, although part of my problem with the wrap is that it seems more like a beginning than an end. I have a tendency to re-visit the AUs I create, so who knows, maybe I'll re-visit these guys again in the future. Maybe give all those C kids some cousins. :)_

 _Thanks for all the support, folks. It's been good to dip my toe in regular posting again. Not sure if there will be anything to share in two weeks, but we'll see._


End file.
